


Take Care of You

by AshBoopTaylor



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Bondage, Collars, D/s, Dom/sub, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Punishment, Spanking, critical role - Freeform, dnd, plot with occasional porn, vox machina - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-07-26 19:13:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 53,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7586521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshBoopTaylor/pseuds/AshBoopTaylor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a new man joins Vox Machina, the team quickly notices their new friend's self destructive tendencies. They decide he fits right in. But a few of the more perceptive members find that there may be a way to help Percy better himself, that benefits both parties.</p><p>---</p><p>I will be doing my best to completely balance the story, with some sexual themes yes of course, but a strong over laying story line of this relationship having an over all positive effect for both Percy and Vex. Not Porn with plot, but plot with some added porn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intro - Introductions Can Wait

Percy would never forget the first time he laid eyes upon Vox Machina. At first it was a single shadowed face that had appeared on the outside of his small holding cell without a single sound or movement. Percy couldn’t even say for sure how long it had been there before it reached out and took ahold of a bar, finally catching the young man’s attention.

  
“Hello?” Percy tried to manage a calm and even tone of voice, but it still broke some at the end as his throat was dry and stuck to itself.

  
“Who are you and why are you here?”

  
“My name is Percival Fredrickstien Von Musel Klossowski De Rolo the third. I attempted vengeance on the woman who tortured me.” Percy shifts against his chains as he tries to sit forward, but it helped little and only cause his head to swim, so he looks down at the stone below him and takes a few deep breaths.

When he looked back there was a second figure, this one less disguised and standing up right behind the crouched shadowy figure. An elfish woman, staring at him with bright eyes. “Who is he?”

  
“Percival something and another De Rolo. He checks out in my books.”

  
“Percival? Can we call you Percy?” She grin and reaches out to touch the bars as well.

  
“You may call me whatever you like if you assist me. But Percy is preferred, yes.”

  
The woman smirks, giving him a thoughtful look over before nudging the one below her. “Hurry up and get our new friend out of there.”

  
The first figure stands, and pushes their hood back. Percy blinks blearily, wondering if his state was finally getting to him. Two, two of them. Both beautiful. He was pulled from this swirl of confused thoughts as the door to his cell eased open with a soft grinding sound. The shadowy figure comes over and closer up Percy decides this one is certainly male. One arm was released and drops into his lap and Percy hunches over as the second one was freed.

  
“Thankyou, I’m not sure I was meant to last much longer like this.” Percy mumbles and starts to get to his feet.

  
“Take it easy Percival,” the male elf wraps an arm around his waist. “Vex, get the door, he’s shaky.”

  
Vex, the lady elf pushes the door fully open, and holds a hand out to them. “Come on darling.” Percy looks up at her and nods, reaching out and taking her hand and being guided out of the cell by them both. They start moving down the short hall now, with Percy holding tightly to both elves, and holding himself up best he can, but he was weak from lack of food or water and an inability to move for some days now.

  
The male elf pulls away for a moment, causing Percy to lean heavily into the woman, Vex. The door is pushed open a crack for a moment then all the way, mid day light crashing into Percy’s face and eyes. He digs his heels in, head swimming and splitting with sharp pain down his right side, and he feared he’d fall down from the pain.

  
Vex leans in close to his ear, speaking in just a whisper as to not cause him any further discomfort. “Come on now dear. Walk.”

  
Percy walked forward, with a barely mumbled, “Yes’m,” hands shaking as he gripped onto the woman.

  
He squints, hearing a mess of different voices, some less hushed then others. Something is pressed into his hands, and Percy’s head rolls to one side, it still splitting down the other.

  
“Percy drink. You will feel better dear.”

  
He raises the object without any other prodding, taking a long drink as he’s moved along abit further and sat on an old wooden crate under a hanging roof, providing him some shade. When all of the water was gone, Percy hadn’t stopped drinking till the water skin was empty, it was taken from him. “There you go darling. Can you see any?”

  
Percy leans his weight against the ever present figure at his side, and blinks down at his hands. They were shaking, he could feel it, and now, slowly, he could see it. White cleared away from the edges of his vision and he finally looks up.

  
“Oh my,” He wheezes, straightening up out of force when he finally sees the sources of those voices, and what amounted to his further company, many more than he was really expecting in a moment like this.

  
To say any one of the members had stood out any more from the others, would have been a lie. The Goliath was a shock, sure, and the Dragon Born, one of few Percy had ever seen. A half elf with copper red hair, a gnome in vibrant silks, and another in full armor.

  
“He-Hello all, I am-,”

“This is Percy,” The woman cuts him out. “Full introductions can wait for us all. Let’s get somewhere safe yes?”

Percy looks around, not seeing the first elf, the man. He looks behind him and sees the stocks were about a half block back now, as they had moved through a small alley. “My things. I really …I have very important things.”

  
“These things?”

  
Percy turns back, almost too fast as his head swam again, and sees that male elf now, in full light for the first time. He had a wicked little smirk and bright eyes that were soft on him. The elf hands him a burlap sack and Percy paws through it with shaking hands, through some tattered layers of clothes, a leather pouch, and finally wrapping around cold metal.

  
Percy sighs and his hands shake slightly less. He pulls his gun out, checking the chambers. Three shots were loaded. That was plenty. “Thankyou-..I don’t know how to properly thankyou sir?”

  
“You can thank me by never calling me sir again, and by walking. Come on,” He holds a hand out and pulls Percy to his feet. “Let’s get you somewhere to feel better yeah?”

“Here, let me carry that.” The sack was taken from him, and Percy saw Vex tuck it under her arm. She gives him a smile, “Go on. My brother will take fine care of you. Go.” She gives him a knowing look.

Percy starts to follow her brother’s lead, that answered a lot of questions, but couldn’t stop thinking about that look. What had she seen in him? What did she know? How deep in had she seen? It felt like she had, in a matter of minutes, dug deep inside him. But for now, Percy was not worried.


	2. Powers of Perception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a new man joins Vox Machina, the team quickly notices their new friend's self destructive tendencies. They decide he fits right in. But a few of the more perceptive members find that there may be a way to help Percy better himself, that benefits both parties.
> 
> \---
> 
> I will be doing my best to completely balance the story, with some sexual themes yes of course, but a strong over laying story line of this relationship having an over all positive effect for both Percy and Vex. Not Porn with plot, but plot with some added porn.

It was a few blocks of walking before Percy was near the Inn. At one point, a couple minutes into their walk, the goliath named Grog had offered to carry him. Percy had to fully insist he was fine and could walk, and took more effort to straighten himself out and to walk at a better pace now that they had entered a busier area of Stillben.

“Oh ..oh no, oh you’re bleeding. Here just let me,” Percy looked down through his hazy vison to see the armored gnome reach out to his slashed side. A sword wound a few days old. 

“No no don’t-,” Percy hisses at first contact, pain streaking down his body. But it quickly faded, warmth spreading up his side like the sun was shining bright against his bare skin, and then the pain left completely. Percy was able to straighten up and breathe easier so he could carry himself through the square. “Thank you,” He looks down and tries to rub away the grime from his glasses lenses but it only smudges around. A small hand pats him then ushers him along, as Vax pulls him again to keep moving.

He doesn’t catch the name of the Tavern and Inn that he’s pulled into in his state, and nearly trips on the porch steps. There was some chattering about rooms for a minute before Vax takes ahold of Percy’s upper arm and starts to pull him upstairs. 

“I would rather like to eat right now,” Percy follows Vax up, glancing back at the group that milled around the tavern. 

“Food will be coming up. We just want to get you hidden for now, in case someone comes looking for you.”

“Oh, good idea,” Percy concedes. Vax pushes open a door and lets Percy in. The elfish rouge follows him, and grabs a bag from the floor. “Was this your room?”

“It’s alright, I’ll stay with my sister. You need to rest if you’re going to be any use to us.” Vax smirks, eyes moving down Percy and resting on the metal weapon. “Maybe we can get an idea what that does.” 

Percy looks down at his gun and uncocks it, resting it on the bed. “When I am rested I will show you.” He nods. “Can you ask…your sister, to bring me my things back? She still has them.”

“No problem. We will be keeping a close eye on you for now, so stay put, alright?” Vax pushes the door open, and looks back at Percy.

“For now,” Percy sinks down into the bed, “I have no arguments.”  
\----  
Percy wasn’t sure how long he had been sleep, only that he felt like he weighed a thousand pounds when he woke up. His mouth stuck together, thirsty again, and the room was dark. He sits up, and sees dim light, remembering where he was now as he looked around the small room. It was very welcome compared to what he’d woken up to in recent weeks. The small inn room was lit with a single low burning lantern on the corner of the little table. Percy got up and shuffled, bare foot, across the room. 

He turns the lamp up slowly and looks the table over. The sack of his things was sat on the table top, along with a large tray of food, cold, and his pepper box. His nails dug into the wood as he picks his gun up and inspects it. Three shots still loaded, everything intact. He knew he’d fallen asleep with it, and had to wonder who had taken it from him. He had a pretty good idea. Or at least two.

He sighs heavily and takes everything to his bed. He sets the lamp on the side table then sits on the bed to eat. It was cold, very cold, probably delivered to his room when the sun was still up. The room was quiet, and most of this floor of the inn was as well. He could occasionally hear sounds outside, or down stairs, but it must be wee hours. He finishes eating, ignoring normal control and manners as he was currently alone. He sets the tray aside and starts on the pitcher of water. When the burn in his throat subsided he sets that aside, but still close.

He lifts the burlap sack and dumps its contents onto the bed. It was mostly clothes and belts. Torn, muddied, and bloody from the battle earlier that week. At least Percy was fairly certain it was still the same week. He sets all of that aside, managing to save a pin from his old neck tie, which he sets on his side table as well. Most of the clothes were useless and he discards them in a pile on the floor. His old coat though, a family coat, which his mother had had made for him, and had his family’s crest in a patch on one shoulder, it was…rough. But not destroyed.

Two, no three, buttons were missing, one inseam was splitting and there was a slash along one side that use to match his ribs. He digs into one of the two leather pouches in the burlap sack and produces a small knife. Then he carefully, with now steady hands, starts to cut away the stitching from the crest patch from the jacket shoulder. He sets the patch on the table as well before folding up the coat. 

He clears his bed off again, drinks some more water, then lays back down. He reaches over and dims the lamp, then picks up his pepper box from the side table. This time he tucks it under his pillow, with his hand wrapped around its hilt. 

\---- 

The next morning came fast, and Percy was still sore, and not feeling completely rested, but considerably better than yesterday. The noise in the outside hall informs him others on the floor were up and about. Percy puts his glasses on, takes them off and cleans them on the blanket, then puts them back on.

There was a soft knock on the door, then it opened before Percy had any chance to respond. He had a small thought that there was little chance if he’d been asleep that this would have woke him. A head pokes in and sees Percy sat up, “Oh! You’re awake.” Vex steps in and closes the door behind her. “I was just coming to check on you. See how you were feeling?”

“See if I was still here?” Percy pushes his blankets away and sits on the edge of the bed.

“Oh no. As dead as you were last night I wasn’t that afraid you’d be sneaking out.” Vex moves closer and looks at the pile of broken clothes on the floor. “Looks like you need a new wardrobe huh?” 

“Yes. I’ll have to go out and buy some new things today.” He sighs.

“Oh? Do you have money on you?” Vex eyes the pouches on the side table expectantly. Percy was sure she knew very well how much money he had on him. “I’m only asking because as the treasurer of this fine establishment of people, it’s nice to know what people are carrying. You know?” She smiles at Percy, batting her lashes at him.

Percy nods slowly. “Certainly. Very understandable.” He picks up one pouch and takes a handful of gold out, leaving about 300 hundred behind. He sees Vex eye the gold in his hand then what was left in the pouch, and was quite surprised when he holds out the larger amount. “Here. I’m sure I can trust you to care for my finances then?”

Vex took it and Percy couldn’t miss the way her eyes lit up, and how she ran her fingers over the coins. “Of course Percy, darling. I will make sure you are well taken care of, alright?” The gold disappears under her cloak and her hands come back empty, but her face was alight. Percy smiles back, as a warmth grew through his chest and spreads up his throat. He swallows tightly and tamps the feeling down into something more seemly. “I’ll get the bag back to you when I have a chance to properly count and sort the gold yes?”

“Yes of course. Take your time, Vex is it?” 

“Vex’ahliah. But yes, just Vex.” She pats his shoulder. “Breakfast is down stairs when you’re feeling ready for the crowd.”

“Certainly. Thankyou.” 

Her hand lingers a moment, studying him with no discreetness. Percy sat there, looking back quietly. He tilts his head after a few second, about to ask a question when she just smiles. “I’ll order for you dear.” She nods curtly and leaves the room. 

Percy blinks, not sure what the point of that all had been, but shakes himself when the door opens a little. A stranger looks in. “Uh..hello. I was asked to bring you some hot washing water.” A woman in an apron brings in a heated pitcher of water, next to a basin.

“Oh thank you very much.” He nods, not even aware how badly he would like to wash until that moment.

He spent some time washing up and trying to straighten himself out, but with his old soiled clothes, there wasn’t much he could do at this point. He finally went down to eat and really meet the group he’d vaguely witnessed yesterday. They were quite the misfit group of boys and girls to be sure. But they were over all kind, and welcoming to him. His gun and ammo pouch stayed on his hips with him during the morning, and he got quite a few questions, but he promised to show them later, when he was back to his old self.

After breakfast and introductions, he took the money he had kept that morning, and promised he’d be back by lunch.  
“I’m just going to go out and buy some new clothes alright? Mine have been utterly lost.” Percy assures, when he’s given a few unsure looks.

“Let him go, he’s been so well behaved, I trust him.” Vex waves him off. “Go, go Percy. We will see you back here at lunch, or, we will come find you.” There was a promise in that statement.

Percy nods curtly. “Yes of course. See you all soon.” He gives a small wave and lets himself out. He takes himself down to the main shop area, his coat tucked under his arm and gold in his pocket. First thing he did was find a decent tailor that could fix and clean his coat. It wasn’t too difficult. A little asking around produced a name and directions. He met a grey haired man with soft hands, who seemed enthralled by his coat.

“We don’t get clothes like this around these parts.” The man lays the coat out on his large table and measures it. 

“It’s a family piece. I just need it restored to the best of your abilities.” Percy nods. 

“Well I’ll have to mix a dye for this fabric, and swatch it by hand.” He nods and pokes at a stain. “Blood?”

“Yes.”

“Easy enough. It’ll be 30 because of the dye and the embroidery though.”

“Sounds fair to me dear sir. Do you know where I could get clothes of a similar caliber? Shirt, trouser, a waist coat maybe?” 

“Dally Daffodils is my wife. She sells some of my and her own stuff there. It’ll be the finest in town I assure you.” The old man writes something down and gives Percy the paper as they traded with the money. “Give that to her and she will know you mean top notch business.” 

“Thank you sir.” Percy bids him good day and does just that. Going to an equally welcoming woman who takes the note and immediately starts to fit him into clothes. Not the nicest things Percy had seen, no, but certainly plenty nice. The waist coat was actually extremely nice, a better piece then Percy had hoped for. He bought a few sets of clothes and a new tie. He knew he would have to wait till he reached a larger city to really fix his clothing situation.

Lastly he went down the street to buy new leather riding boots that buckled up his thighs, and to get a haircut and shave, and picked up a few general items for himself. With little money left and the sun reaching its apex, he picks up his coat. 

“The dye might still be damp on the side, but you should be fine.” The man brings it out and puts it on Percy, letting him stand in front of three large mirrors. 

“Oh it is as good as new sir, thank you so very much.” Percy pushes a few of his last gold into the man’s hands. “A good day to you and your lovely wife.” 

Percy looks back at the mirrors, and takes a deep breath, and then out. He looked like himself again. Like a De Rolo. 

When he returned to the tavern, his new companions were sat at their usual table. The Goliath was the first to look over and bark a laugh. “Hey! Looks like fancy pants has come back!” The man laughs.

Percy couldn’t help but the smallest smirk at the barbarians lack of class. It was abit disarming to say the least.

“This is what I usually look like,” He insists as he comes over to the table, seeing that two of the women were gone.

“If you say so De Rolo. Sure you aren’t out to impress someone with that fancy get up?” Vax smirks, eye catching into his own as the elf gives a serious once over, then holds his gaze unwavering.

Percy straightened up the most he could under that look, though if the half elf had been standing, Percy still would have been shorter. “I’m not out to impress anyone. This is how I always dress. This is my old coat for one.” He pulls at the edge of it. At Vax’es soft laugh, Percy rolled his eyes and went to get himself a drink. 

“I think you look wonderful Percy. It’s great to see you on your feet.” 

Percy looks down and sees the small gnome, her eyes shone nearly as bright as her holy symbol. “Oh, well thankyou. You…healed me yesterday didn’t you? Pike right?”

“Yes, to both.” She smiles. “You had a nasty cut in your ribs, I’m glad we found you when we did. Are you feeling alright?” She looks him over, and Percy can’t help but feel very mothered under the gaze.

“I’m alright, I assure you. Just hungry and a tad bit tiered. Still not at 100 percent. But much much better thanks to you.” He holds his hand out, and shakes her smaller one. 

Pike laughs and pats his hand. “Good good. Go eat then. Don’t let me keep you.”

Percy nods and excuses himself, force of habit really, and goes over to the bar to get himself a drink before they all ate. “On the tab please,” He motions back to the group back at a large table, only to have his hand caught.

“Please don’t rack us up too large of a bill Percy dear. What is it that you drink hmm?” Vex moves into sight beside him then, leaning against the bar. Her hands leave his to fiddle with the cuff of his jacket, pulling a stray bit of straw off it and adjusting the buttoning. “Blue is a rather good color on you, you look like such a gentleman.”

Percy had been standing, starring at her hands till now. They were steady, always so steady. He could not say the same for his own, which shook slightly now. “Are you saying that I didn’t before?”

“Not like this. You look much younger,” She reaches up, and Percy is watching her face now, “The hair threw me, but now that you’re rested and all cleaned up, I see you’re just a boy hmm?” She takes ahold of his coat collar and adjusts it then draws the lapels together better, and straightens his tie and pin. “You look like you could lead a kingdom, or an army. Very commanding Percival. Is that how you like to be? In charge.” 

Percy’s mouth was slightly open he notices now, and has to close it and swallow to manage any words, but then a mug it set down but his hand, cold and wet on the outside. “Your Porter,” The bar keep nods.

Percy looks down at it then back to Vex, but she was gone. Another glance and he saw she was at the table with the others now. He gently runs his fingers over the edge of his coats lapel, before picking up his cup. He takes a large drink of the dark ale, before moving back over to the group. He sits down between Keyleth and the gnomes, Keyleth has scooted down and pats the bench beside herself with a wide and excited smile. Percy can’t help but smile back at that bright and highly enthusiastic look on the young elf. Vex was on the other side, at the far end, sat next to her bear and her brother, talking to Grog across from her.

Percy nurses that black ale and chats with Keyleth about her customs and traditions, and Scanlan tells a few wild stories about his travels as well, though Percy had a feeling he wasn’t the one that those tales of grandeur were meant for. 

When he starts to steal glances towards Vex, neither sibling is paying him any attention. After a few glances, and towards the end of his drink, when he looks up, Vax was starring right at him with a highly unimpressed look. The half elf lifts one eyebrow, and it might have been one of the rouges daggers right to his side. 

Percy quickly swallows the last of his ale and gets to his feet, murmuring about getting a fresh drink.

“You should drink water Percival. You’re still healing.” Percy swallows, and continues towards the bar. Of course he was going to get water, that had been his plan to begin with, Vex had not needed to speak up like that. He knew how to take care of himself. 

“Water please.” He nods and accepts a fresh ceramic mug, and heads back to the table just as two bar maids burst from the back, both carrying large trays of food. His arrival was over shadowed by lunch and he quietly took a seat at the far end of the bench, by Pike now. 

The small gnome cleric pats his knee, giving him and understanding smile. Percy smiles back, trying to look appreciative, while somewhat worried of what powers of perception the women of this group held.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This a Percy/Vex D/s fic, centered around Percy and Vex using a D/s life style to get Percy to care for himself more and work through his emotional turmoil. Slowly.
> 
>  
> 
> This will be an non beta-ed fic, but I do my best to check for grammar and flow. Kind critique is welcome.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a new man joins Vox Machina, the team quickly notices their new friend's self destructive tendencies. They decide he fits right in. But a few of the more perceptive members find that there may be a way to help Percy better himself, that benefits both parties.

Percy spent most of the next day resting in the front porch of the inn, with his newly purchased sketchbook. Keyleth had quietly joined the chair beside him, but didn’t attempt to see what he was drawing, or keep up any real conversation. She just sat and quietly read from a small print novel. 

The sun was starting to a lower itself to just above the town roofs when Keyleth gets up and rests a hand on his shoulder. “I’m going get a tea.”

“Coffee, please dear? Can you ask if they have brown sugar?” He looks up at her and smiles at how easy it was to be comfortable with the quiet woman. They shared a small connection of their path of diplomacy. 

“Of course. Be right back.” She slips into the inn. 

Percy looks down at his work and sighs heavily. His sketchbook had not been a part of the things returned to him last night, and he was trying to remember his most recent sketches. Work for a new, much larger gun. Hopefully something with a better range. But remembering all his points proved difficult and he was practically working from scratch now. Though he did feel much better today, after having gone to bed early yesterday evening, and rose early this morning. So he wasn’t too down about the loss at the moment, and just happy to be up and moving around.

Keyleth reappears then as Percy closes the leather bound book, and sits forward. She holds out a large ceramic mug to him with a half-smile. “What? What is that look?” The cup was surprisingly cold and he looks down into it, frowning. 

“Vex says water till you’re better.” She sits back down in her chair, turning to face Percy now. “And if you need coffee, take a nap.” 

The white haired man huffs, “She is a persistent one isn’t she?” He takes a drink and tries not to look very rushed when he realizes how thirsty he is.

“She means well.” Keyleth uses a small spoon to stir and blow on her tea before sipping. 

“Oh I’m sure of that. But to what point?” Percy rests the half empty mug in his lap. He sees some charcoal smudged on the cuff of his rolled up shirt sleeve and attempts to clean it off using the water. His waist coat and over coat had been left in his room in this heat.

“Already making a mess of yourself Percival?” 

Percy looks up at the door way, taken aback by the nearly scolding tone, and tries to gather his thoughts. “Well it’s not ink.” Was the best he could manage.

“Good thing too, that shirt is brand new.” Vex shakes her head, then smiles at him. “You’re feeling well dear?”

“Much. Pike’s healing and regular food has really made all the difference.” 

“Good good. Well, Scanlan and Grog are off enjoying themselves,” Vex drawls, “and my brother has disappeared, and god knows what Tiberius is even doing. But! We have been wondering when you were going to show us your pretty little toy?”

“Why does that not sound like an invitation?” Percy raises an eyebrow at Vex. 

“It’s not. Be ready soon, the both of you. We are going to have some target practice.” Vex turns and leaves them alone on the porch again.

“At least I know she acts like that with everyone”, the young man laughs softly and turns back to Keyleth.

“Oh no. She’s very particular with you.” Keyleth nod, then makes a face, clearly thinking to herself about what she’d just said. “Uh. Don’t tell her I said that.”

Percy finishes off the water then, and just clears his throat. “I suppose I should go get my things.” He stands up. “Thank you for the company.”

“Anytime. No one else really likes to sit quietly like this. I’ll see you soon.”

Percy nods and heads inside, going to the bar to return his mug. Vex was there, returning two more from her and Pike. “Oh you finished it, good. I want you feeling well as soon as you can Percy, darling. You’re doing so well.” She pats his arm.

Percy glances at her hand then at her, enjoying the encouragement more then he’d like to. He stamps it down and gives a curt nod. “Of course. I’m really fine though, please don’t worry about me, Vex.” He talks with his best official tone, then pulls away. “I’ve got to go get dressed.” He catches a flash of the shift in Vex’es expression as he retreats, but not enough of it to really gain any incite to her state.

With the room door locked behind him, Percy rubs his face and curses himself. He couldn’t honestly tell what Vex’es intentions were, her signals were quite vexing. “Oh Pelore’s graces, that is a coincidence I am not happy with.” He groans to himself and sinks onto the edge of his bed. Little jokes aside, that woman was making a mess of his thoughts and sensibilities. He really needed to get ahold of himself and do a better job of acting like a reasonable man of nobility and not a fumbling boy. 

He slips his waist coat on and starts to button it up when there is a knock on his door. Percy bites his lip as he was sure it was that she elf again. “Percy? It’s Pike, I just wanted to give you something.”

“Pike?” He moves across the room and unlocks the door. “Come in dear. I’m just getting ready.”

“Oh you look great Percy. You don’t need to get so dressed up,” Her laugh sounds like little bells. Percy just smiles and finishes fixing his waist coat. “Well you were throwing out all those nice clothes yeah?”

“They were really ruined past their worth.” Percy assures.

“Yeah, but there were some good parts left.” She holds up a stack of folded fabric squares. “I know we don’t have anything very nice around here, like you must be used to, being nobility and all. But I know you have a hard time keeping your glasses clean.”

Percy blinks and takes the first square from the pile and opens it up. It was a square of thin, fine white fabric, hand stitched along the edge in white, and in blue in one corner was careful, if not so skilled, hand stitching of ‘P.DR.’ 

“They are little pocket squares for you, or handkerchiefs. I got three white ones from your shirt, a black one from you pants, two silk ones from the old vest and this one was the tie. I think it was so pretty.” She runs her finger of the fine gold and silver silk fabric. “I just sat with Vex and we talked, and this kept my hands busy.” 

Percy swallows tightly and takes the small cloths. He quietly reaches up and presses at the corner of his eye with one finger. “Thank you, Pike. I haven’t had anything so thought full in…a very long time.”

The gnome hugs him, and Percy kneels down to give her a one armed hug back.

“We’re really happy to have you on the team Percy. Do stick around?” Pike rest a hand on his cheek. 

“For you? Anything, Pike dearest.” He pats her hand and stands back up. He takes one of the new cloths and wipes his slightly dampened glasses. “Well let’s not keep them waiting.” He tucks the cloth in his pocket and grabs his coat. Putting it on and adjusting his gun belt. “Lead the way,” He beams, and follows Pike out. 

They come down the stairs, seeing the two elfish women standing there and waiting for them. Keyleth was standing with her large staff, and Vex had her bow and quiver, and not to mention her bear was waiting beside her.

“Are you two ready? It’s been hours.” Vex sighs.

“We’re ready Vex, I was just giving him those squares.” Pike lifts a hefty looking mace that was leaned against a table leg.

“Well come on then lovelies.” Vex hooks one arm with Keyleth and takes Pikes free hand in the other. Keyleth holds a hand out to Percy. With a small flush to his face, Percy offers his arm to Keyleth who graciously accepts and they all head out through the town, arm in arm. 

It turns out that Keyleth and Pike were into reading the same penny, romance novels, and were talking about the one Keyleth had been reading that afternoon. 

Vex rolls her eyes and groans. “I swear you two are some of the strongest women I know, and you pine after these stories of women finding themselves when they find a man.”

“They are strong women,” Keyleth assures. “It’s just romantic how the men want to protect them you know? It’s just fantasy.”

“Fantasy. A good man knows his place, and follows his woman as well as he leads his men.” 

“Not all of us want that Vex. I’m perfectly happy with being just equal.” Keyleth nods.

“Equal is when both sides are happy. That means different things for different people.” 

“True, I’ll accept that.” 

Percy was trying his best to looks completely unaffected by what felt like a conversation he was over hearing from another room. He felt he had kept his composure well but when Pike gives him an amused look he chooses to just look away altogether. 

“It’s just right over here,” Vex nods and let’s go, then starts jogging up a hill. Keyleth chases after her and Percy was about to quicken his pace when Pike snags his hand. “You are very sweet Percy. But you’ve got to be honest alright?”

“I..I am not sure what you mean?” Percy shakes his head, scanning the gnome to try and follow her thoughts.

Pike just laughs softly and breaks away to rush up the hill after her friends. Percy sighs and chases after, coat whipping behind him.

“I’ve been doing a little practicing down here.” Vex nods and leads them to the top of the hill, which flattened out into an old, abandoned, and stony field. A dilapidated old barn that was starting to collapse in, sat at the other end of a tree line, giving them a clear view of it. On one wall of the barn there was painted white, fading, targets.

Vex lifts an arrow from her hip. “Do wait your turn dear,” she nods to Percy as she draws her bow.

“Of course.” Percy motions to her. He glances up at her as she shoots three different arrows, and lands them all in the bullseye of the smallest target. Percy was also focused on cleaning out the three questionably old shots from his chambers, and packing all six with fresh shots.

“Well it’s certainly a slow weapon, whatever it is,” Vex drawls. 

“At the front end yes.” Percy raises his arm and closes one eye. “Cover your ears please.” 

Pike and Keyleth both covered their ears, looking excited, and Vex leans over to cover Trinket’s ears. 

Percy let off two shots in quick succession, blowing a large hole into the side of the barn where the arrows had been sticking out. The cracking sound of his gun was followed by a burst of black feathers shooting out of the nearly collapsed hay loft. Percy pivots to the side quickly, aiming up and shoots a third time, blowing a buzzard from the sky that must have been roosting in the barn. 

“Percival!” 

Percy turned, grinning widely, proud his little demonstration had gone off well. No jams or bike fires, and all his shots hit true.  
The looks he received were not so proud, more horrified. 

“You killed that bird!” Keyleth gasps and starts to move down the hill quickly, shooting Percy a look as she rushes past him and down the hill

Pike just looked sad before going to follow. “Keyleth! Wait for me!”. 

Percy was left speechless, arms and gun held stiffly at his sides, with Vex’s furious expression pinned on him.

“That was completely uncalled for Percival De Rolo! I can’t believe you did that. Just shot some harmless bird.” She scolds, voice loud but level. 

Percy shakes his head , “I..I…didn’t mean..ah.” 

“Didn’t mean to kill it? Do not lie to me!” 

“No, I didn’t mean to upset you,” Percy blurts. “Any of you.”

Vex was about to lay into him again when there was a sudden screech. They look down the hill and see both women kneeling over the animal. It thrashes around for a minute before Keyleth lifts it, and carefully releases it up into the air. The vulture calls out again before disappearing into the trees.

Percy motions to where the bird had gone, “It’s fine. See,” He smiles at Vex. “Really.”

“Pike saved him, but you are not off the hook, Percival. Not by a long shot, young man,” She points at him.

Percy shakes his head and was about to ask what she meant, and try to apologize when the other two came back to them.

“Oh he was beautiful.” Keyleth sighs. She holds out a hand full of feathers to Vex. “These were the clean ones on the ground.”

“It wasn’t dead,” Pike nods, looking right at Percy. “You took the wing clear off. I had to heal the wing back on and regrow feathers.” Vex was smiling at the feathers and tucks them into her quiver. “Percy?”

Percy had been watching Vex, trying to catch her eye to see if she had calmed down towards him. “Hmm?” He turns to Pike.

“What..is that thing?” She motions to the gun he was still holding. 

“Oh. I’m sorry. It’s an invention of my own, one of a kind. I built it with my own hands over time.” He tries to focus on his gun and shake this heavy feeling in his body. “I make amo, by forming metal into these little capsules, and filling the bottom end with explosive powder. This part ignites the powder,” He taps the hammer, “And this hot piece of metal comes out and well,” He motions back to the barn with its new hole.

“You made it?” Pike frowns slightly. She holds her hands out. “May I?”

Percy nods slowly, “Be careful.” He lets her have the gun, but watches closely. Keyleth kneels beside Pike and they open the chambers to look at the other bullets, then peer down the barrel. Percy cringes, “Please don’t do that.” When Pike pulls back the hammer with a confirming click, Percy quickly takes it back. “Whoa whoa whoa haha, please down hurt yourselves?” He uncocks and quickly holsters it. He notices the tremble returning to his hands, and clenches them into fists at his sides.

The three women look between each other. Pike speaks slowly now, “Well it’s very impressive Percy. And pretty. Loud though.” 

“Thank you.” Percy straightens his coast and dusts abit of black powder off it. He could feel Vex’s eyes on his back, and could see her standing, arms folded over her chest, from the corner of his eye. He just ignores her for now.

“And you built it alone? You’re pretty smart then huh?”

“I fancy myself abit of a tinkerer.” Percy shrugs. “It’s a means of protection that easy to conceal and more effective than an arrow.”

“Well it’s getting dark,” Vex cuts in. “Let’s see if any of the other men have come around eh?” 

Percy clears his throat and nods, taking up the back of the pack on their way home. Keeping his arms folded behind his back and his head up, he manages to not betray the guilt clenching in his gut. Pike looks back at him at one point and smiles softly at him but he’s otherwise left alone the entire way back. He decides that is plenty fair.

It turns out all the other men had congregated back in the tavern and were drinking, and provided a good distraction for Percy to slip over to the bar without having to talk to anyone quite yet. He orders a drink, leaning against the bar and rubbing at his eyes as he does. Looking back at the group he sees Vex scowling at him, then she looks over her shoulder at her brother, says something then turns the scowl back on Percy. Vax was looking at him now, shaking his head and giving Percy a, ‘You’ve done it now,’ look.

Percy swallows tightly then taps two fingers on the bar. The barkeep makes an affirmative little sound, makes a second drink and then sets them both down heavily. Percy takes them both and quickly retreats upstairs to his room, ignoring the looks sent his way, and making sure to lock the door behind him.

“Well that could have entirely gone better.” He mumbles, setting one drink down. He takes a long drink from one then starts to undress. He sighs heavily, shoulder deflating and curling in as he sets his gun on the table. “I didn’t mean to fuck up quite so soon.”

He sits down on the bed in his underwear and a soft cotton undershirt. He finishes the first dark ale off quickly, then moves on to the second and drinks much slower now. He hunkers over his sketch book, trying to think and plan, and distract himself from his mounting guilt. But it seemed no amount of alcohol would stop the terrible shaking that had crept into his hands. He tosses the sketchbook to the floor and lays back on the bed, starring at the cleaning. “Gods damn it Percival. What has become of you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This a Percy/Vex D/s fic, centered around Percy and Vex using a D/s life style to get Percy to care for himself more and work through his emotional turmoil. Slowly. 
> 
> I will be doing my best to completely balance the story, with some sexual themes yes of course, but a strong over laying story line of this relationship having an over all positive effect for both Percy and Vex. Not Porn with plot, but plot with some added porn.
> 
> This part is completely pg with no content rating and around 3000 words.
> 
> This will be an non beta-ed fic, but I do my best to check for grammar and flow. Kind critique is welcome.


	4. I Think I'll Think

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a new man joins Vox Machina, the team quickly notices their new friend's self destructive tendencies. They decide he fits right in. But a few of the more perceptive members find that there may be a way to help Percy better himself, that benefits both parties.
> 
> This a Percy/Vex D/s fic, centered around Percy and Vex using a D/s life style to get Percy to care for himself more and work through his emotional turmoil. Slowly.

Falling asleep half drunk, lead to a hangover in the very early morning. Percy’s body ached, and as he set up, groaning, his head spun. He would have sworn he was wounded again at how terribly his head hurt. Percy pats the table top and puts on his glasses, then pulls on a shirt and trousers. He starts to button the shirt up as he shuffles out to the hall. The building was still and quiet so he moves down the hall barefoot. He rubs is eyes, looks around again, then knocks softly on one door.

“Pike?” He croaks. “Ah-are you in there?”

The door opens slowly, and the gnome looks up at him, squinting and rubbing her eyes, her usually braided hair hanging messily around her. “Percy? What’s wrong?”

She opens the door and lets the human in. She was dressed in a night gown and socks, or maybe that was just a shirt with the sleeves partially cut off.

Percy shuffles in and shields his eyes, sense Pike’s room had been facing a different direction then his, and the rising sun shone brightly here. He blinks then turns away from the window, rubbing his head, feeling terribly weak. He’d been hungover before, but there were parts of him that just hurt terribly in ways that weren’t normal, and this was bad as hangovers went, especially sense he hadn’t drunk all that much on his terms.

“Oh, you poor thing. Sit, sit please.” Percy obliges and sits down on the edge of her bed. Pike brings him water from a jug in her room. “Drink.” He accepts it and downs the whole cup quickly, ignoring his manners for the time being. 

Pike stands on the bed beside him and rests a hand on his temple. She whispers softly in Celestial, Percy barely able to decipher it through his fog. The light that came from her hand only hurt worse for a moment, before his head ache subsided all together. But his body still ached and his throat burned when Pike pulled her hand away. 

“Feel better?” Pike asks as Percy finally opens his eyes completely. 

“Yes, abit. Thank yo-OW!”

Pike had reached back then smacked him right to the same spot she had healed. “Your body is still healing Percy! You don’t need to be getting drunk and making yourself sick. You were told not to drink, I know you were.” 

“Was that entirely necessary?” Percy rubs his head.

“I think so yes.” Pike sits down. “I took the head ache away but you can live with the rest. Maybe you’ll think twice before drinking again anytime soon.” 

“I’m starting to regret asking for help.” Percy grumbles.

“Don’t. I don’t mind helping you Percy, I really enjoy it, but I think this is what will help you the most.” She nods. “Go. Get some more water and sleep abit more.” 

Percy sighs and gets to his feet, leaving the cup. “Thank you, Pike.” 

“You’re welcome Percy. Now go on, be good.” 

Percy sighs again, pinching the ridge of his nose at the guilt trip he’d be thoroughly fed in these short minutes. Then he’s shuffling down stairs to get some water for his room. Bare foot, and still sore he asks the maid that was on duty for a pitcher, then asks for her name.

“Wendy, I will get you a tip later today once I’ve rested. I seem to be abit hung over, to my own surprise.” He sits down at the bar as the girl goes to the back to get water.

“Your surprise? You were bleeding out a few days ago, but go on, drink and pout alone, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Percy looks over to the front door and slumps abit more.

“Good morning Vex.”

“And to you too.” She sets her bow on the bar top.

“What are you doing up this early?”

“I spend mornings in the forest with Trinket. He needs exercise and we hunt.”

“Did you shoot any birds?” It comes out with a lot of bite and sass, even for him, on account of his terrible morning mood. He rolls his eyes, resting his jaw into his palm as he looks back towards the door, waiting for the maid. 

Vex grabs the man’s Jaw and forcefully turns him back to face her. “I did, actually, to feed my massive bear. Not to show off like some reckless little boy.” She starred at him with hard, steady eyes.

Percy was startled and swallows, trying to pull away but her grip was tight. “I, I apologized.” 

“I don’t feel like you are sorry.”

“I am.”

“For what?”

“For upsetting you.”

“Not for killing the bird?” Vex narrows her eyes.

Percy starts to speak then closes his mouth and looks away. 

“Percival look at me. You’re a very smart boy. Use your brain alright?” Her hand softens and pats his cheek. “And quit drinking till Pike gives you the okay. Drink again and you’ll deal with me.” 

“Umm, Sir?” 

They both turn and Percy flushes brightly to see the little maid girl was standing with the water, looking slightly traumatized. 

Vex smiles at her, “Thankyou darling.” She takes the water as Percy get’s off his bar stool. “Here. Go take care of yourself. Have a bath, that should help. Did you go talk to Pike at all?”

“Yes, she helped.” Percy takes the jug with both hands, starring at the water inside.

“Look at me when you speak. And-what did she say?”

Percy took a deep breath and picks his head up. “She…said I had to have the hangover. To learn.”

“Good. Hopefully you will.”

Percy growls and leaves, moving quickly up the stairs. 

“Do not go pout Percival. I know you can be better than that.” Vex calls after him.

“You under estimate my ability to be pissy and sulk.” Percy mutters into the water jug as he shoulders his room open and kicks it closed. With a few more gulps of water, he crawls back into bed, fully dressed and glasses left on his night stand. 

He doesn’t think he’s gotten very much rest when the hall becomes very loud. He can distinctly make out the sound of Grog shouting for Vax, and Scanlan’s laughter. His head ache was creeping back up and Percy wasn’t so sure Pike would help him again. He throws his blankets to the ground, grabs his glasses and throw his door open.

“It is barely past sunrise and I’d wholly appreciate it if you all shoved it and shut the hell up!” 

It all went quiet, and Percy was taking in the scene. Grog had a load of feathers stuck to one side of his body and a bucket stuck to his hand. Scanlan was sitting on the top step of the stairs, and Vax was backed into a corner with Grog looming over him. Vax looks at Percy, winks, then dives behind Grog and sprints down the stairs. 

“You can run but you can’t hide twinkle toes!” Grog bounds after the elf leaving just Percy and Scanlan. 

“You’re looking rough buddy.” Scanlan smirks. 

“Oh you’d enjoy that wouldn’t you ya smug bastard.” 

“Ahahah! Language Percy, weren’t you told to be a good boy?” 

Percy’s face went red and he turns on the gnome, “Do not think I will not bury you, you clown.” 

“Percy!” He cringes and stands up straight, glaring at the gnome, “Scanlan leave him alone before I sick Pike on you.” 

Scanlan holds his hands up and retreats downstairs. 

“Percy, dear. Are you alright?”

“Fine. Are you going to yell at me more?”

“No. You’ve had plenty for now. How about that bath though? You’ll feel better.”

Percy sighs and rubs at his face. “That sounds lovely actually.” He turns around then and looks back at Vex, confusion written clear on his face. Vex just smiles sympathetically.   
“I’m sorry those morons woke you up. Head ache back?” She motions Percy to follow her. 

“Yes, actually,” He pushes his hand through his sleep messed hair. 

Vex reaches over, taking his head in her hands and kisses the top. “Let’s hope some warm water helps then.” 

Percy blinks down at the floor, taken aback by the sudden affection. There was some flutter in his chest when he realizes that Vex was taller than he was, not by much, but it was there. And when he was barefoot, and she was in her boots, he had to look up some to meet her eyes.

“Here is the baths. There’s hot rocks in here for you. Feel better.” She smiles then leaves him alone.

Percy shakes himself as the door closes behind him. “Come on man, what has come of you?”

He huffs and goes about picking one of four wooden tubs, that had little divider walls between them. He draws down the pipe in the wall that started to pour water into the tub from an outside source. There are some large river stones that had been resting in a pit of embers. He uses tongs and a bucket to brings some over to the bath and dump them in. Steam erupts out and the water bubbles slowly as the rocks cool.

Percy undresses, discarding his clothes on a wooden shelf, then slides into the water. “Ooh ooh. Might have over done that one.” He gasps at the heat, fingers digging into the rim of the tub. He was not use to drawing his own bath. 

As he settles in, his skin adjusts, turning pink, and he sinks in till the water was below his nose. He stays there un moving as the steam dissipates, and the water slowly cools off. It was quiet, except for the sound of an occasional drip of water running down the stone walls of the room. He thinks quietly to himself as he relaxes. He thinks about baths as a child, in a massive room, with incense burning and small toys floating in the water. A boat painted blue. A swan. He thinks of the grumpy swan that lived on the castle grounds back home. It had bit him quite a few times when he was younger. When he was older he had kicked it into the pond and it never bothered him again. His mother had been angry because she loved the swan. But the swan was fine. Stupid bird. What was it with him and birds?

His fingers trail over the still tender scar in his ribs from just a few days ago. It tingled slightly in the heat of this water, and hurt when he pressed at it. Pike had been right; he was stupid for getting drunk when he was barely healed on the outside. His insides still had a ways to go.

The door scratches across the stone as it’s pushed open. “Percy? You haven’t drowned have you?” 

Percy opens one eye, and sees Vex moving into the room. “I’m alright.” He calls.

“Oh good.” She comes over to Percy’s surprise and he sinks down into the tub more. “Here.” She sets a bar of soap on the wooden edge of the tub. “This is helpful.” 

“Oh. Certainly.” He nods, “Thankyou.” 

“Of course. And some clothes.” She sets those by the old ones. “Feeling better?”

“Actually, yes. Reasonably so. Can you hydrate through the skin?”

“I really don’t think so.” Vex shakes her head. She looks Percy over for a moment. He had sat up and hunched over in an attempt to keep himself decent. She smiles and looks around the room. She goes to the next stall and comes back with a small stool. “Sit up.” 

“Um, are you staying?” 

“Yes. Sit up.” 

Percy straightens up with his back against the tub wall. Vex sits down beside him, and he tries to look back at her. 

“Relax dear.” She picks up the soap bar from his side and Percy instantly became very aware of the progressing situation. 

“Ah! Vex, really there is no need.”

“Hush. Just relax alright?” Vex pushes up her sleeves. “I’m going to take care of you.” 

Percy clenches his hands up under the water, jumping slightly when Vex runs her hands through the water beside him. She tisks and gets up, returning with three fresh rocks and drops them in the end. The heat quickly spreads through the tub and Percy can’t help but sigh and sink down some.

“There. Isn’t that better?” She dips her hand in and brings it up, wetting Percy’s hair down before starting to rub soap through it. “Close your eyes. Don’t want you getting any soap in there.” 

Percy swallows and obeys. She slips a hand under his chin and tilts his head back to wash easier, fingers digging into his scalp.  
“There you go. Good boy.” 

Good boy. Shit. Percy felt pressure rise in his chest, and heart rate pick up. He gasps sharply and sits up, pulling away from Vex. “Oh no. I really shouldn’t- ah I- I just.” 

“Percy, Percy, ssshhhh, It’s okay. We’re gonna talk soon. We can talk as soon as you want. After this. You need to sit back so I can finish okay dear?” Vex’s voice was so soft, and calm. Percy thought, that voice, could convince anyone of anything. Talk any man off any ledge. “There we go. Just take deep breaths. You’re gonna be alright.” She reaches out to him, but doesn’t grab him, waiting for him to come back to her. He could refuse, he knew that. He knew she wasn’t going to make him move back.

Percy takes a few more steady breaths and moves back. Vex’es hand comes up and wraps around the back of his neck, squeezing softly. It’s a strange sensation that causes his shoulders to relax and the breath he hadn’t known he was holding to leave him in one heavy breath. 

“There we go. Good boy. Yeah. See it’s not so bad hmm?” Percy lays back as her hands guide him. He looks up now, water droplets sticking to his glasses, but he looks up at her. She smiles at him and goes back to washing his hair.

Vex is quiet now, hands working into his scalp, and through his short, white hair. She gently tilts his head forward; which Percy silently obeys and closes his eyes now. She moves her hands down his neck, massaging the tense muscles down there and into his shoulders and down his back. 

Percy slowly relaxes more and more, focused on Vex’es hands and her breath against his neck. When one of her hands comes up, and gently strokes his soapy hair, her speaking jogs him out of whatever space of mind he’d been floating in. 

“Percy,” She says in barely above a whisper. “You’ve got to rinse off now. The water is getting cool again and I don’t want you catching cold when you’re not healed yet.” 

“ah-alright.” Percy sinks down into the water and scrubs the soap out of his hair before coming back up and pushing the water off his face and out of his hair.  
When he looks back, Vex has set a towel by the edge of his tub. “I’m gonna be in my room. Alright?”

Percy pushes his hair back, and nods. “Yeah. I’ll be there shortly.” 

Vex left him then, to dry off and get dressed. Percy knew this shirt wasn’t his, as it was too large and hung past his fingers. He has to roll up the sleeves and determines it must be Vax’es. It was in a shade of blue gray, and the cord at the chest, as this was just a pull on cotton shirt, was black. 

Percy pulls the plug out of the end of the tub and water rushed out the far end, and down into a grate set to the far side of the room. Then he gathers his dirty clothes and heads back to his room. First making sure to check the area for anyone he knew, before rushing back upstairs and closing his door behind him. He drops off the wrinkled clothes, wetting them down some and laying them out in an attempt to get them cleaned up.

Then he’s at his door, fully intending to go to Vex, but he stands by his door for a minute, trying to figure out…what the hell was going to happen. When he spends a few minutes without coming up with any kind of sensible answer, he starts to get nervous about making Vex wait too long, so he finally pulls the door open and makes his way down the hall. 

Percy pauses outside her door, not quite knocking as he got stuck in his own head again. He was jogged out of his thoughts when he heard voices coming up the stairs from behind him. He knocks quickly, and at the first sound on the other side he moves into the room. “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought I heard the others, and I really didn’t want to deal with that.”

“You’re alright,” Vex laughs. “Lock the door.” 

Percy does so before turning back and looking around the room. The same as his but now with a second bed where Vax must be staying. 

Vex had been using a small mirror in the room to fix her hair. She ties off the long braid and moves over to the bed. “Come here please. Let’s talk.” Her voice was very careful, and light. Everything she said was open and had none of the usual command and force he was used to.

Percy nods and sits down at the foot, folding his hands into his lap like he’d been taught to when having important discussions. Vex chuckles softly as she watches him. “You always seem so tense Percy. What is wrong?”

“I’m just trying to figure things out.”

“What?”

“This.” Percy makes a vague motion to the space between them. “I don’t understand what you want, Vex’ahliah.”

“That’s what we are here to talk about. Cause what I want, is to help you, Percival.”

“How’s that?” Percy can’t help the tiny laugh that came out with those words  
.   
Vex purses his lips and leans forward abit. “Would you like to know what I think?” She speaks softly, like it was secret. 

“Oh it would bring me such relief to know what you are thinking.” Percy pushes his glasses up and rubs his eyes.

“I think you need someone who can take control of you, and take care of you. To tell you when you’ve done wrong and get you on the right path. To help guide you. And when you have done well, make sure you know how proud I am of you.”

Percy was slowly going pink and tense next to Vex. “That sounds very um, unconventional.” 

Vex shrugs. “Less so then you might think.” She smiles at him. “You’re such a sweet boy, Percy. But you don’t think sometimes, and you don’t care for yourself very well. I think you could benefit from a firm hand, hmm?” 

Percy gasps slightly through his clenched teeth at the question. It seemed very loaded to him and he was afraid to make any response, based on the signals his body was giving off.

“Do you want me to keep talking?” Percy just nods. “Alright. Well, I’d give you some rules to follow. Nothing extravagant I promise, I’m not here to cage you. I would help take care of you when you needed it, or wanted it.”

Percy starring hard at the wooden floors, “What would you be getting out it all?”

“Honestly?” Vex crosses her legs and humms. “I get to care for someone who needs it. I get to fully express the part of me that wants to care and dominate, just like you’d get to express the part of you that wants to be cared for, and controlled.” 

“Controlled.”

“That is not to say, that you will lose all control. Not even close. If you ever don’t like what I am doing, or something I’ve told you to do, I want you to tell me immediately so we can work it out. I do not want you oppressed, or hurting under this arrangement. It should only help you.”

“Say…I agree. What would that mean? On average?” Percy glances at her, keeping that professional air on as a way to handle the situation himself.

“Well, we would talk about some rules and guidelines for the both of us. A safe word. Consequences. Rewards. And it wouldn’t all be set in stone. This would change with time, with our needs.” 

“Safe word? That’s really more of a sex thing.”

“Yes. But here it works that if I’ve said something that really is upsetting to you, or have done something, it would all immediately stop. We would talk everything over and fix it.”

“And what truly makes you think I would benefit from this?” 

Vex looks him over quietly, then purses her lips. “I’m not sure where to start honestly.”

“Oh gods graces,” Percy clenches his hands up and looks away.

“Percy, dear that is not an insult. I’m not trying to make you feel badly. I am just saying, I think you would wholly benefit from this. Completely. All of you.” She motions to him, but he doesn’t see it as he it starring at the far ceiling corner. “Percy?” His nose scrunches, and she see’s his jaw lock up. “Percival you look at me when I am speaking to you.”

His mouth twists before looking at her, still clearly pissy, but obeying. 

“I could do without the attitude, but thankyou.”

“I’m so sorry to inform you but the attitude is very much apart of me. It’s not something I intend to let you or anyone else train out of me.” 

“I wouldn’t even try. I don’t want you to stop being you, Percy. I want you to be the best version of you. But I would be expecting a certain level of respect as your dominate.”

Percy looks at her for a moment, and when she stays quiet he drops his head to look at his hands in his lap. He wasn’t avoiding her, she could see that. He was thinking, brow knitting abit and chewing at the corner of his lips. She stays quiet at he thinks, letting him take all the time he needed. Finally he speaks up.

“I thi-,” He stops and looks up at Vex, earning a bright smile from her, “I think…I want time to think about it. All of it. It’s a lot really.” 

“It is,” she agrees. “And you’re allowed to say no. There’s a lot more we would talk about too. Do you have any more questions at the moment?” 

He pursues his lips slightly then nods. “Have you done this before?”

“Short version? Yes. Long, not really.” She sighs. “I’ve done short term, one night things with people before. A few things more recently, here with the group, but not like this. But I’ve been around those who’ve made it a daily part of their lives. I’m not clueless.”

“And I can refuse things at any time?”

“If I truly do push you to far, yes. That’s something we will need to talk about.” 

“Rules?”

“You have to agree to all of them. That doesn’t mean you have to like them.” 

Percy rolls his eyes. “Well alright. I think..I’ll go. And talk again. Soon?”

“Whenever you are ready.”

“Yes.” Percy gets up. “Good afternoon Vex,” He nods to her before retreating. 

Once back into his own room he lays down to think. Because yes, that was a lot. He reaches back at one point, rubbing the back of his neck, massaging the muscles. But there was no way he could find to replicate that calm feeling Vex had given him so easily. So he keeps thinking. Thinking about the times she had praised him for things. He thinks about when he had messed up, and upset her.

He dozes off, thinking he was feeling much better and would like to eat soon. He wasn’t sure when he had fallen asleep, but suddenly he was awake.  
There was a knock. 

Percy moves to open the door quickly, expecting Vex. 

“Scanlan?” Percy was ready to get his gun and give the cheeky gnome a little scare after his little joke morning.

“We’ve got a job offer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A warning that time lines of Canon will be warped. I’ll cut out somethings, skip and summarize some parts, and take bits and pieces of others. Especially here at the beginning where we only know the basics of what happened from the animated short. I may also add time in, where VM may have had two days of rest in a town or their keep I might add a lot more time. Extended rest is good for my narrative, not theirs.


	5. It's Alot - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a new man joins Vox Machina, the team quickly notices their new friend's self destructive tendencies. They decide he fits right in. But a few of the more perceptive members find that there may be a way to help Percy better himself, that benefits both parties.
> 
> \---
> 
> I will be doing my best to completely balance the story, with some sexual themes yes of course, but a strong over laying story line of this relationship having an over all positive effect for both Percy and Vex. Not Porn with plot, but plot with some added porn.

"We've got a job offer. Get yourself together and hurry on down alright?"

Percy blinks and rubs at one eye. "Yes yes. Of course. I'll only be a minute."

"Alright. It's time to see if you can prove your worth to the group." Scanlan had a hard calmness about him, a solemn wisdom that Percy had never expected to see on the gnome.

He nods slowly. "Yes, thank you. I...I'll do my best."

"Good. People are starting to get too attached. Hurry up." Scanlan left him then.

Prove his worth. It never occurred to Percy...he could be left behind. He shakes himself and puts his clothing on quickly, just finishing the buckle on his gun belt when he came down stairs. He sees Vox Machina off at their usual table.

They were talking with an Elvin man, who the others seemed to know. Percy kept quiet as they dealt with him, just there to gather information. He understands some deal was broken between them, and a new one was agreed to. The gathered information, made a small plan, then all went off to bed. It was early rise for the next morning to start their journey to a druid crypt. Charming.

It was another week before there was any relaxing again. He got to know all the members of Vox Machina quite a lot better during the time though. Life threatening events and close quaters will do that to a group of people he assumed. He enjoyed them all, really. Even those who annoyed him to no end, he couldn't help but find them endearing.

By the end, he really did feel like he'd found a good place in the group. The guys had not seen what his gun could do until a battle began, and they were impressed. The girls actually reacted positively to him killing a few things. There was pride there, he felt it building up in his chest, when his new friends told him he had done well.

He did have a few small moments with Vex during that. They didn't get any time to really talk, but he did a lot of thinking. They did get those few short moments. The first time they just sat together, Percy cleaning his gun, Vex re-fletching arrows and sharpening points. But Vex sat cross legged on a small sofa, and Percy sat on the floor below her, with his coat over his lap. Occasionally she would reach down and pet his hair, and he would close his eyes. The second time they got time together, wasn't so great. Percy had gotten irritated with the group at one point and rushed ahead. He had to stand with his hands behind his back while Vex laid into him about not leaving the group when they were in danger. It was miserable. But after she sat him down and cleaned him up before they all slept. 

The third time was the best. Percy had gotten a head wound, though Pike had completely healed him and he couldn't hardly imagine it being there anymore. But Vex made him lay down early, after they had eaten. She sat on the bed beside him, reading quietly and petting his hair. He doesn't know when he had finally fallen to sleep, as he was fighting it to continue listening to her read, but it was the best sleep he'd had in a very long time.

The very next morning Grog had made a comment about the two of them sleeping together, while Percy was stirring his coffee. Not quite sure what to say about it for a moment he floundered. "Well, uh, not quite, I mean yes but-."

"Vex is taking care of Percy now, Grog. Alright?" Pike pats the goliaths knee.

"Not quite." Vex shakes her head as she comes and sits down with them.

"Oh?" Pike looks to Vex for a moment then nods. "Well alright."

"So she aint takin' care of 'im?"

"Not now. But maybe." Pike smiles.

"Well...alright." Grog nods and goes back to his breakfast.

Percy was bright pink and looking the table over closely. Trying to figure out what they all seemed to think they knew, because no one was really reacting to any of this conversation. Pike finally catches his eye and just smiles to him. Percy gives his best smile back, but it was definitely nervous.

When Percy looks back down at his coffee, he sees his hands are shaking as he holds his spoon and the side of the mug. He swallows and sets it down, looking over his breakfast with less of an appetite.

After a few minutes of sitting and listening to idle chat, Percy clears his throat and stands up. "I'm going to have my coffee and see if I can get a little work done." He nods and leaves the table, excusing himself as he does.

He takes his mug to the back door and outside. They were staying at a new Inn now. One that had enough rooms for them all. It had a couple of housing buildings separated from the common building by a center courtyard and fences. They were meant traveling families, so they could rent a small house in the town.

He enters the small house they had for the time being, passing by a cold fire that still smelled like smoke and ash. They had been paid pretty well, and gathered a few things that they had then sold off as well. A more expensive bill included larger rooms with more furnishings, not that big though, better beds, and baths.

Percy had used abit of his earnings to buy some tinkering tools when they had passed through a larger town on the way to their target. He goes up stairs to his room now to try and break the new kit in and get some work done.

He had done some sketching over the past two days that it had taken them to travel back to Stillben. A few simple ideas he hopped he could work out. He sits down with a couple of arrows he'd picked up and starts to work on this little project.

He pulls the heads off the arrows and carves a portion of the core out a few inches deep. He uses metal sheers and a small smelting kit to start working the arrow into a a stable, four bladed head, with room for a small metal cylinder in the center. 

Using a hard pressed chalk, he creates a cast of the arrow prototype. It takes about 20 minutes between each, and he had enough metal to cast two heads. He sits back and starts to process of sharpening them both before he gets out his jar of black powder and starts rolling small papers with tightly packed black powder.

He doesn't know how long he's been working when his bed room door opens slowly. It stays like that, Percy still not looking up, focused on his rolling. He knew he was there, who could be so quiet in his door way for this long.

"Percy. You skipped lunch."

"I'm not hungry, but thankyou."

There was a shift in the voice, but Percy wasn't noticing much. "You hardly ate breakfast either. And it looks like you didn't even drink your coffee." Vex picks up the mug and replaces it with a large glass bottle of water. "It's dinner in a few hours. Finish this before then, then come down for dinner. Alright?"

"Of course." Percy gently bounces the tip of an arrow on the palm of his thick leather glove. The head had a little give, and through the sights on his glasses, he can see a tiny spark when the bottom of the arrow connects with a rough flint plate.

"Percy are you listening to me?" When there was a beat of silence, with Percy testing the arrow, Vex scowls. "Percival you're supposed to look at me when I speak to you." She pinches his ear.

"Ah aha ah! What? What is it?" He sets the arrow down and looks up.

"What did I say?"

"I need to drink the water and eat supper. I promise I'm half blind, not half deaf."

Vex sighs. "Fine. What are you doing?"

"I'm making something."

"Wow. You might have lost me there." She picks up an arrow, and sees it's missing its head. She spots the two freshly sharpened heads sat on the table next to a file.

"I'm not sure if it's going to work. So I don't want to tell you yet," He says honestly.

"Could it explode?" She frowns as she watches him wipe his fingers on a damp cloth, leaving black streaks. She reaches over and sets the lid on the open jar of black powder. She had seen him using the stuff to press his bullets.

"It has that potential yes." Percy nods. "So let's just be careful right?"

Vex scowls. "If you're going to try it, take someone with you. I'm very serious Percival. Look at me." Percy looks up, sighing. "That's a second reminder." At that Percy looks abit nervous, but Vex just continues. "If you take that thing out to test it, don't go alone. If it could fuck up, and explode, I want a healer with you. Take Pike, or Keyleth. Alright?"

"Alright."

"Good." She nods and steps away, getting ready to leave. She stops first and taps the glass bottle of water. "What did I tell you Percy?"

Percy sighs softly. "Drink the water by dinner, and come down."

"Good boy," She kisses the top of his head and pats his cheek. "I'll see you later then."

"Yes," He nods and watches as she leaves.

He returns to his work with new invigoration, carefully packing the center of the new arrow head with that tightly rolled piece of paper, and then a second packing of powder went into the shaft of the arrow. It seemed like over kill, yes, but Percy wasn't sure either would detonate, so he wanted to see if either would work. He packs them tightly, then starts to carefully screw the new arrow head down. With the arrow done, Percy starts on the next one. He gets the sharpening done, and manages to finish that bottle of water off when the door to his room is thrown open.

"Oi' Percy! I'm supposed to say it's dinner time." Scanlan says as he shoves the door open.

Percy jumps abit, and drops the tweezers he's using to fill the new paper with black powder. "You abrasive little clown! Knock yeah? I'm doing delicate work here!" Percy snaps, furious that something could have literally blown up in his face because of this.

Scanlan looks surprised for a moment, then raises one eyebrow. "Geez. Someone is a grouch." He huffs. "What are you doing?"

"Work, Scanlan. I'll...I'll be down in abit." He sighs and sits back in his chair.

"Fine, but I'm telling Vex you called me names." He flicks a gestures at the human before sprinting away.

"AAAAaaahhhuuggh." Percy really hated that slippery little gnome. He tried to tell himself that. He'd scare the gnome straight when the time came. For now he gets up and grabs the empty bottle before heading down stairs. Sure enough there was Scanlan talking to Vex.

Percy frowns abit when Vex motions him over, arms over her chest.

"Everything alright?"

"Scanlan said you were yelling at him?"

"He burst into my room shouting like a mad man, I almost dropped my work." Percy says curtly, not going to act like he needed to defend himself, he knew he was in the right.

Vex leans down towards Scanlan. "Get lost Scanlan. And learn to knock. Next time he might shoot you."

Percy can't help himself from smiling, triumphant and smug. He looks down at Scanlan. "You heard the woman."

Scanlan shrugs. "Thought I'd try." Then leaves to bother someone else.

Vex smiles at Percy, taking ahold of his elbow to draw him closer and hold him infront of her. "How are you dear, it's good to see you."

Percy rolls his eyes, still smiling ever so slightly on his well-trained nobelman expression. "It's been a few hours."

"Yes, and how are you?"

Percy doesn't say anything, and just holds up the empty glass bottle, his expression getting the closets to Sheepish Vex had ever seen it.

Vex lights up, taking the empty bottle. "Such a good boy." She runs the other hand up into his hair and fixes it abit. "One more before the end of the day, alright?"

"Another whole one?" Percy frowns. "That does seem abit much?"

"Half."

"Alright." Percy agrees, being rewarded with another bright smile and a pat to his cheek.

"Come on. Dinner. Eat this time."

"I'm starving." He assures and follows her into the common building.

Dinner is over and the sun is setting. Everyone has gone out to drink. Except for Percy, who excused himself. Partly because he still wasn't allowed to drink to his full irritation, and because he was nearly done with the second arrow.

So he says good evening to his friends and goes back to work in a very quiet house. It's only less than an hour more of work till the second head is finished and screwed tightly onto the shaft.

To entirely understate things, Percy was ecstatic. He gets dressed, buttoning up his vest and pulling on his jacket and boots. He puts all his things neatly away; putting away the tiny smelting kit, the new arrow mold, and his fine instruments into a wooden case. He seals his jar of black powder, drawing down all four latches on each side of the jar that tightened the lid into an air tight seal. He puts the jar into the box of things as well, then locks the box.

With his room clean, he picks up the two new arrows and goes to Vex'es room. She wasn't there, of course, but her Bow was. She wouldn't mind him borrowing it, he was sure. This was a gift for her after all. So he carefully sets the two new arrows into the quiver, the ends of their shafts stuck out as they were marked with red stripes of paint. With the sun setting behind the houses, Percy walks towards the setting sun, and back to that old barn.

He would shoot one, and if it went well, he'd gift Vex the second with a promise of more to come. If it didn't, no one had to know, and he'd make it work later.

He reaches the top of the hill and sets the quiver down between his feet. The arrows didn't set off with general jostling, that was a good sign.

He picks one up, Bow held firmly in the other hand. He slowly lifts them, noting the definite weight to the new arrow, and how he would have to fix that. As he draws it back, it's hard to hold it all up neatly, the arrows weight hard to cope with the Bow, and still aim. He pulls back tighter, shifting the arrow up and down against the string , trying to get a good grip on it. Damnit this was harder then he remembered!

When his arm starts to strain from holding the tension, and he still wasn't able to stabilize the arrow. So he yanks back sharply one last time, trying to do a sharp shooting aim. His hand slams into his own chest as the string snaps. The arrow tumbles down, out of his hold. Percy lunges forward, seeing it turn one, twice in air as he is trying to grab it, desperate. He was headed face first into the dirt right behind that arrow.

It hits the ground a moment before he does. detonating instantly as he was reaching out. He sees something go through his hand. Wood, metal maybe, but he doesn't feel it. He sees another flash, this time under his belly, where the quiver was. He doesn't hear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a two part chapter totalling up to over 6000 words. These are non canon events to the creation of the explosive arrows. I honestly assume Percy didn't test them in canon. But that's more for game play purposes and realisticly I think Percy would have tested first.


	6. It's Alot - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a new man joins Vox Machina, the team quickly notices their new friend's self destructive tendencies. They decide he fits right in. But a few of the more perceptive members find that there may be a way to help Percy better himself, that benefits both parties.
> 
> \---
> 
> I will be doing my best to completely balance the story, with some sexual themes yes of course, but a strong over laying story line of this relationship having an over all positive effect for both Percy and Vex. Not Porn with plot, but plot with some added porn.

Percy slowly opens his eyes, finding himself laying out flat. He stares up at the sky, wheezing, hearing only his own breath and a sharp ringing in his ears. His vision was blurry and obscured with bright spots. He feels around himself deafly, trying to find...something to figure out where he was, he felt only grass and a few bits of wood. He slowly became aware of shouting as people began to appear. Two rush past him, and he rolls his head to watch them. They started attacking the ground, a third person came with a bucket. Fire. There was fire around him.

There was a face above him, a strange man was trying to talk to him. Percy blinks and feels around himself, over his own body. He couldn't sit up and he couldn't figure out why. He found why. He takes a firm hold of that reason and yanks it out of his leg. He lifts it up to look at it. The jagged, splintered end of half an arrow shaft, fletching mostly missing and matted with blood. No actual arrow. Could be worse.

The old man above him looks up and suddenly moves away, scared. Was the fire close? Percy looks over and sees water, a lot of water. Tall, wide, walking water, moving over the area, dousing out the fire.

There was an even brighter light, and Percy was half sure he was on fire.

Then everything was clear.

He sucked in a sharp breath, feeling his body fill with warm, nearly burning energy. Then he was comfortable, so comfortable, for just a moment, before the world focused in around him. There was shouting, the fire was nearly gone, and he was hot and wet. He looks down at himself, vison now clear, and sees where his shirt and vest had burned away to his skin. His skin was perfect, his shirt was bloody. Down farther was his blood soaked trousers.

"Percy? Percy can you hear me?!"

"Wha'?"

Percy rolls his head back and sees Pike kneeled above him, clutching her holy symbol. "Hello Pike." He was still dazed and starring up wide eyed through his dirty glasses. He was jut suprised to see his dear gnome friend above him.

"Oh thank Serenrae!" She grabs him by the shoulders and drags the human up into a crushing hold.

"Ow..ow OWOWOW!" Percy shoves the gnome off, starting to claw at his clothes, he pulls the last of his shirt away to find three large bits of wood and one metal stuck into his chest. He growls and rips them out before Pike could stop him.

Pike was breathing heavy but pushes her hands against his bleeding chest, and focuses hard, looking like she might crush her holy symbol, but the wounds closes.

Percy lays a hand on her as well, steadying them both. "Thankyou...thank you."

"Percy were you attacked?" Pike drops her bloody hand to look around.

"No no," Percy follows her gaze. The fire was gone now, leaving a marshy, ashey field with a water elemental slowly rolling towards them. "I was...I was working." He murmurs.

"Oh Percy," Pike sighs and shakes her head, then gets to her feet.

Percy watches, gut twisting and his chest clenches on its own accord now. The water spills across the ground and Keyleth steps forward, looking concerned. Then she looks back at the field and sighs.

"How did you get here?" Percy looks between the women.

"It's a small town. Everyone heard the explosions." Pike's shirt front was bloodied so she wipes her hand off on it with a heavy sigh. "You must have been lying unconscious for a few minutes. We were right behind some farmers you were trying to put out that fire."

"Percy, did you do this?" Keyleth asks, motioning to the burnt field.

"It wasn't intentional. Really it was a terrible accident."

Keyleth was going to speak again when someone else spoke up. "Is that your bow?"

Percy turns, seeing the rest of the group coming up the top of the hill. It was Vax that has seen the bow that is laying a few feet back, thrown by the first explosion. Vex picks it up, running her fingers down the limp, snapped string.

Percy wants to be blind and deaf again with the look she gives him. There was a sound that leaves him, he isn't sure what it is but it is weak and soft, and it came from somewhere deep inside him. Pike lays a hand on his shoulder, quieting him. "Percy. Come on. Let's get you home." She and Keyleth help him to his feet. With a few steps, it's determined he's fine, and he's herded back to the Inn, bombarded by questions.

" 'Ave you got any more explosives?" Grog asks, giving Percy the most attention he'd ever gotten from the barbarian.

"Yes. Sort of. I have explosives. Not like those."

Grog was laughing excitedly.

"What kind were these?" Keyleth cuts in, still frowning and close to his side.

"They were arrows."

"That's what you were working on earlier," Scanlan was sat on Grogs shoulder. "Guess it didn't work."

"No, it did. I ...dropped them. And they went off under me."

"I wish you would have waited for one of us to go with you Percy," Pike was still holding his hand, though he was walking fine.

"He was supposed to." It was the first time Vex had spoken sense their arrival. It cut Percy, because now he remembered her telling him that earlier this afternoon.

"I...forgot," He says lamely, realizing the emptiness of his own excuse and quickly tries to fix it, "-that request. But honestly I've done plenty of things like this on my own and nothing has gone so poorly. I've had explosions before, this was just bad circumstances."

There was a beat of quiet. Vex wasn't going to respond. It was fine, he deserved that. Anyway they were back at the Inn now. "I'm going to go wash up." Percy nods and parts himself from the group.

It was a short, nearly scalding bath. Washing blood and soot form his skin. He throws out these clothes as well and dresses. He'd bought some more clothes, and it looks like he'd need to do it again soon. Coming down stairs in the small house, the team was gathered in the front room, the fire place lit now and the seating pulled close together. As he came down, but before he was in ear shot, things quiet down.

He steps barefoot into the room with a towel in hand. "No more shrapnel, I assure. So clean bill of health. Thankyou Pike. And Keyleth, for helping with the fire."

"You're welcome Percy," Pike moves over to him, everyone else was sitting. "You should go lay down though. Your body needs to make more blood, and rest to do that."

"I really feel fine after your magic I feel better than I did. I think you cured the kink in my neck." Percy laughs and rubs his neck.

"Well that's good but It's probably best if-."

"No no no really. I just want some coffee and-."

"Percival, go to your room."

Percy looks up and Vex was giving him a terrible look that caused him to shrink down slightly. A glance around the room and he saw everyone else looking hard and expectant. Percy looks back down, and Pike gives him a stern look. Clenching his jaw, he wordlessly retreats back upstairs. What does one say in this situation anyway?

He doesn't sleep, he can't. The sun has just fully set, and the night darkness was growing deeper outside. Percy lights his lamp brightly and sits down at his desk. Staring at the arrow and the casting mold that held a new, cooling head, he found he couldn't work.

He picks up a small book, something Keyleth had given him. She swore it wasn't like what he thought and he would like it. He manages a mindless chapter that offers some meager distraction before the knock came.

It hadn't been said aloud but he had expected a visitor. "Come in."

He closes his book and sets it aside as Vex comes in. She was holding her bow in her hand. The carved wood was relaxed back as the tension from the string had been holding its curved shape. She closes the door and locks it, wordless as she comes in. She sits down on his bed and sets the bow on bed spread.

"Come here."

Percy was watching her closely, brow knit as he tries to read her. It was impossible. He moves over to the bed, but where he'd sit was blocked with the bow. He falters, not wanting to touch it. "I can buy you a new one. Or I'll pay to have it restrung if you would like that better. Both even."

Vex holds a hand out to him. He moves closer to take her hand, but she grabs his arm above the elbow and yanks him to stand in front of her.

"Sit."

Percy takes a sharp breath at her tone, it sent picks up his spin and made his hair stand on end. He then looks below him for a moment, towards the wooden floor, starting to understand what was happening. He slowly sits down on the ground, looking up at her. She crosses her legs and folds her hands in her lap as she looks down at him, quietly watching him.

She read his posture, his rigid back, his stiff shoulders, the slight shake to his hands. His anxiety was mounting she could see it. She watches him glance around before looking back to her, clearly waiting for her to say something. But he'd looked at the door. Part of him was ready to flee.

"Vex'ahliah I'm -."

"Hush. You will wait to be spoken too. Understood?"

Percy grips the bottom of his shirt tightly. "Yes." He hopes his face doesn't convey the torrid emotions he was experiencing.

It must have been the right answer because she continued. "I get to apologize first, because I've been treating you wrong. I extended an offer of control to you, and said I'd wait till you were ready to decide. But I continued to dominate and praise you anyway, and that has caught me in a tough place, Percival. I can reward you all I want but when it comes down to it, we haven't agreed to anything. So when you have screwed up so badly as to endanger your own life, I can't punish you. You and others look to me to help you rectify your actions. I can't. I am sorry because I can't give you time I promised, Percy. You've pushed my hand today. I need your answer. Accept my domination tonight and accept punishment for what you did today, or turn it down and I can't give you anything. I will still be your friend and care about you, but I won't be able to look after you and praise you. It isn't fair to either of us."

He had looked up obediently at her through the first part, but his head dropped when she said he had to accept and be punished or she would leave. She doesn't scold him to tell him to look. It was a lot, more then she wanted to put on the man. But the team had made it very clear, something had to be done. She tried to tell them she couldn't do anything. They had said they could move on from tonight easily if she dealt with him. But he'd be expected to fix things himself if he turned her down. She knew this was harsh, but he had brought it on himself. She had no control on his actions, but she was willing to.

It was a lot for them both.

It's quiet for a long minute. Vex can see Percy's hands shaking as he worries the bottom of his shirt. She let's him sit quietly, but the time drags on and she's afraid he's just working himself up about it.

"Percy?"

He looks up again, his eyes were wet, not really crying so much as he looked very frustrated. He reaches up, pushing his glasses up to wipe his eyes. His hands were shaking terribly now, and it hurt Vex to watch.

"I - I am sorry for frightening you all."

"Percy, no." She says firmly. "I'll tell you how to apologize when you've given me an answer."

Percy wrings his hands, clearly trying to calm himself. "And...I am to be punished if I agree?"

Vex softens up, sighing. "Yes dear. You've messed up bad today, and got yourself hurt. You could have hurt others. You were badly wounded...we could have lost you over something so stupid, even after you were told not to go alone. It needs to be dealt with. You need to understand your safety and health are important."

"Of course." He speaks softly and looks back down. "And just that for tonight yes? We will talk more tomorrow?"

"Yes. We will have a lot to talk about."

He looks up, "Alright."

"You have to be more clear Percy. I need your full consent." Her voice softens.

"Yes."

"Yes what, Percival." There was no command to her voice any longer, not controlling undertone. Percy was mesmerized at how well she switched. How she wanted to make sure this was fully his own choice, she wasn't putting any pressure on him.

"Yes. Yes I would like to submit to you. To give you control."

Vex relaxes, so thankful. "Good boy," She breaths.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. You are a good boy Percy. But you've done something bad and we have to deal with that. Stand up." There it was, a tone he'd only ever heard in her. It rung inside of him, deep in that place he tries to push down. The softest spot.

Percy wipes his eyes again before getting to his feet. "I truly am sorry for frightening you."

"Percy what did I just tell you about that?"

The man flushes. "Ah. Um. You would tell me how to apologize."

"Yes. And you can apologize after your punishment. Come on." She draws him in closer. As Vex'es fingers slide into his waist band and start to fiddle with the fastens of his trousers Percy quickly grabs her hands to stop them. It was a reflex really. She says nothing, but the look she gives him causes him to immediately let go with an apologetic look. "Hands behind your back."

"Yes," he mumbles and folds his arms behind his back.

She makes quick work of the three buttons and tugs the black fabric down. "Step out." He does and gently pushes them aside with his toes.

"Do you want to keep your shirt?" She rests her hands on his sides, thumbs rubbing softly at the tender spot right below his ribcage.

Percy's face was pink and he was chewing at the corner of his lip. "Keep it," He mumbles.

"Okay. Your safe word, it's Jenga. Say it back to me Percival. Three times." She leans up and takes his glasses off him, setting them on the side table.

"Jenga, jenga, jenga." He says softly, watching her. He had relaxed slowly, leaning into her hands. She could read his posture, he was nervous. His shoulders were tense, and his bare toes curled slowly against the wooden floor. But he didn't look like he was wanting to flee. He was resigned, and calm. He trusted her. She would do everything in her power to not break that trust.

"When do you use it?"

His face twists slightly as he tries to think of the right words. Not when it hurts. This was going to hurt. "I..I don't know. I mean, I know I just...don't."

"When you need something to stop. Not want exactly, because you'll want your punishment to end before you need it too. But when your frightened, of something is just to much, any reason really, where everything just /needs/ to stop."

"Alright. When I need things to stop."

"Good." She slides her hands up and down his sides. "If you say your word, everything stops immediately I promise. You will never get in trouble for safe wording. I'll always be proud of you for speaking up." She smiles softly at him.

"Thank you."

"Are you scared now?"

"No. I'm...not happy. I don't want it."

"Good. That means I'm doing exactly what needs to be done. Let's get on with it then." She rests one hand on his hip, the other reaching up and taking his arm. She shifts Percy closer before guiding him over her lap with one hand on his back and one on his hip. She shifts him to rest comfortably, at an angle. His torso was resting on the bed, starring at the pillows, arms holding his head. His toes just pressed against the cool wood under him.

"You're being very good Percy, I'm proud of you. This won't take long, and then tonight is behind us. You'll be completely forgiven."

He wasn't sure it could work like that. Everyone was terribly mad at him, and he knew he deserved that, he caused them a mess. He had a hard time believing this one act could redeem in their eyes, or his own.

He shifts some, nervous at the hand that was slowly petting and rubbing his ass. The other one wraps around his side and pulls him into her, holding him tight against her. It was comforting, grounding, feeling her around him.

"Deep breath sweet heart."

He complies and then nearly has it knocked right back out of him at the first smack. He dosen't have a moment to process anything before the next came, just like the first, but a bit to the left.

He was silent and still, cringing into the bed spread, hiding his face in arms. There was a muffled thwack to each one, dulled even more as he buries his head into the covers, humiliated. He was humiliated he had been so thoughtless and careless and worried and hurt his friends so much. He was humiliated it had landed him in this position. But he believes Vex. He needs it even if he hates it.

When she pauses, he uses that moment to catch his breath, panting softly into the bed spread, thinking maybe this wasn't all that bad. Stung a little, yes, but he could keep his composure. Then she tugs down his underwear, and pats his ass again. "Okay. Warm up is over."

"Warm up?" Percy breaths, starting to look back when she smacks him again. There was a loud pop this time, and Percy yelps, lurching forward on her lap. Her hold on him is tight and he doesn't manage to get anywhere. She keeps going like that, at the same pace as before but it was all hell now. Bare skin made all the difference.

Percy was noisy and squirming around now. Little whines and gasps that stay muffled in the bed spread. He wiggles and shifts on Vex'es lap, not really trying to get away, just reacting to the sharp pain. When one smack lands particularly low, over the tops of his legs, his head finally picks up. "Oooooww!"

Vex doesn't try to quiet him and lets him squirm around. He is getting louder, and she knew very well that the others could hear him now. But this was his first time being spanked and she knew it was hard enough for him. She was sure they could work on training in the near future. Right now she was focused on getting his ass to an even shade of bright pink.

"Ow ow ow hurts, fuck!" He whines and tugs as the bed spread, gritting his teeth in an attempt to quiet himself some.

"Mmhhmm. It does." She agrees. "It's question time Percy." She keeps the pace up easily.

"What?!" Percy wheezes. He gets a hard smack to the thigh at that and he drops his head to whimper into the bed spread.

"Why are you being punished Percy?" She shifts him one her lap, as he'd started to slip off from the squirming. Percy makes a frustrated sound and fights against her grip for a moment. She quickly starts to smack the same spot on one thigh and Percy wails, allowing her to fix him.

"Answer me Percival."

"Bloody hells...oowaa." He lifts his head up. "I I I was stupid and I made you mad."

"No." Vex lands three in quick succession. Percy drums his toes on the wood floor. "You are not in trouble because I was mad. You are in trouble because of what you did. What did you do?"

Damn it was so terribly hard to think like this and form the right words. "I am sorry!"

"For what." Vex'es voice was calm, even, keeping a quick pace with her hand. A sharp contrast to Percy's whines and yelps.

"For..AH! For for...I set that field on fire."

"And."

"I broke your bow."

"And. Why are you in trouble?"

"I got hurt!"

"That is right! You were reckless and got yourself hurt." Vex rubs his side with the hand holding him but doesn't stop with the other. "What were you told Percy? We're almost done."

Percy whines loudly into the bed again, sweat forming on his neck. His brain wasn't working like it usually could. All he could focus on was her holding him down, and the rising pain and heat in his ass and the sound of her voice.

"Percy we can keep going if you'd like." She warns, swatting extra hard till he gasps an apology. "I don't like to be kept waiting. What were you told?" She wanted to finish this quickly.

"To..to take someone. I was not supposed to go alone."

"That is right. And you went alone and you got yourself hurt. That is why you are being punished." Vex summarizes so they can finish. She lands four last swats down on the curves right above his thighs, getting a muffled wail in response. Then she stops, immediately going into comforting poor Percy.

He was crying miserably and very un Percy like into the blankets. Vex rubs his back, other hand slowly rubbing his ass, skin hot under her hand. "It's okay Percy, shhh. Good boy. That's right sweet heart, such a good boy. It's over now, all over. You're forgiven, no more apologies. It's all forgiven."

Percy's cries soften, and he turns his head to lay his cheek on the damp covers. Still whimpering softly, he looks back at Vex, and she must be close enough for him, because his eye focus on her. They were dark and soft, red around the edges. But between the whimpers and sniffling, her was limp and heavy, hands still and flat on the bed spread. There wasn't an ounce of tension on the boy's body, and he looked good that way. Relaxed and pliant and submissive.

"That's my good boy. My boy. Mine." She reaches up to gently stroke the nape of his neck, earning a heavy sigh from the man. His skin wasn't even red, she really hadn't wanted to push that hard the first time, but she had to make a mark about what had been done today. There were some more vibrant splotches that would leave bruises, including one on his thigh that would be bothering him for a few days to come. "You did so well Percy. I'm so proud of you dear. Do you want to sit up?"

He nods, voice to wobbly and wet to want to speak yet. His tears had stopped but he was plagued with sniffling and hiccups now.

"Okay, Come on. Up." She wraps her hands around his sides and gets him to his feet. He groans as he stands up, shifting on his feet. Then she leans down and starts to pull his underwear back up. He gives a whine of protest and squirms as she does, hands coming to blocks his hips so the fabric can't touch his ass. "Hands behind your back before you get yourself in any more trouble." Vex warns. Percy quickly holds his arms back, getting that kicked puppy look again that Vex knew would soon become her greatest enemy. But she fixes his shorts quickly and ignores it for now.

"Do you want to try sitting or lay down?"

"Lay," He croaks.

"Alright." She stands up and picks up her bow.

He crawls onto the bed on his hands and knees then settles down on his belly.

"I'll be right back. Stay there." She starts to leave and Percy sits up, frowning at her slowly blurring image.

"I will be right back. Two minutes. Count for me okay? Count out loud. That's a hundred and twenty."

"Alright. I'll count." He lays back down and starts to quietly count. Vex only goes to drop off her bow and get fresh clothes, and water. She comes back to him as he finishes his counting.

"Good boy. Thank you for counting. I need you to drink some water before you can sleep, or you won't feel well." She pours it for him. "You have to sit up."

Percy sits up and then tries to sit down, groaning and shaking his head. "Hurts."

"Yes it does. It will help you remember to behave. Sit."

Percy begrudgingly sits down, cringing, then takes the water and starts to drink quickly. The crying had made him hot and dried his throat out. Vex was changing into more comfortable clothes, and letting her hair down around her shoulders. She takes his lamp and turns it down before bringing it to the bed side.

"Did you finish," she asks as she sits down.

He nods and holds the cup out, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I'm being nice tonight. I will expect vocal answers in the future." She takes the cup and sets it aside.

"Sorry. I'll answer."

Vex kisses the top of his head. "Bed time. Come on." She lays back and pulls him down. Percy was more than happy to lay down next to her, and hold to her tightly. His head lay resting on her chest, her hands were petting his hand and rubbing his back.

Percy didn't last long like that, completely wore out after the spanking. Vex was exhausted as well, seeing Percy bloodied and unmoving in that field, then having to punish him as well, had taken just as much out of her. But she stays awake till she was sure Percy was asleep.

_expiry":UU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things take a more serious tone when Percy nearly blows a hole through himself. Vex is here to help.
> 
> Please comment and go to tumblr to reblog! Really, it's greatly appreciated. Every comment, about critique, suggestion, what you like or don't, or ideas you might have, will be greatly appreciated and every one will be answered. Thankyou so much! 
> 
> I hope people are enjoying!


	7. Walk and Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a new man joins Vox Machina, the team quickly notices their new friend's self destructive tendencies. They decide he fits right in. But a few of the more perceptive members find that there may be a way to help Percy better himself, that benefits both parties.
> 
> \---
> 
> I will be doing my best to completely balance the story, with some sexual themes yes of course, but a strong over laying story line of this relationship having an over all positive effect for both Percy and Vex. Not Porn with plot, but plot with some added porn.

The morning came bright through his bedroom window, but it wasn't what woke Percy. Because he was lying face down into his pillow. It wasn't Vex'es hand petting his hair as she is propped up on her pillows above him. That only helped his sleep along. What woke him with a sudden jolt was when something slams against the bedroom door, and the low roar that follows. 

"Sssshh Percy." Vex whispers when he woke, rigid and spooked. He looks up at her, and hears the low sound outside his door again, realizing what it was. He groans to himself and lays his head back down. Vex gets off the bed and moves to the door, cracking it open. "Trinket dear, go tell Vax we are up yeah? Good boy." She rubs the bear's head before closing the door again. 

"You talk to the bear the same." Percy was watching her, voice rough with sleep. 

"Close but not the same. I've got to make sure my boys know how much I care for them." She sits down beside him again and pets his hair.

"I do not want to be compared to your bear." He groans and rubs his palm against his eyes. 

"You won't. You aren't my pet. He's like my son really." 

"Glasses." He reaches out, knowing she'd put them away. 

She hands him the glasses and gets up, starting to get back into her leathers and cloak. When she turns back around Percy was sat on the edge of the bed, running his palm against his jaw line where he was starting to grow some scruff. His eyes were locked on his pants, puddled on the ground. He looks up at Vex and sits up straight. 

"Good morning," Vex smiles softly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah...yeah. I'm alright. Just trying to get my bearings." 

Vex goes over to Percy's bag and digs around, coming back with a small metal case. She presses it into his hand. "Mind a little hazy?" 

Percy opens the case and takes out his shaving razor. "Yes." He holds the case up, looking into the small mirror set into the inside of the lid. His hand is steady as he shaves, turning his head slowly and careful around his throat. 

"That's normal after such a heavy scene like last night. Just take it easy today and tell me if it gets worse. Going through your routine should clear you up."

There was an affirmative sound, Percy to careful shaving to move any muscles in his face.

Vex starts to gather up Percy's clothes. She cleans off his trousers that had been left on the floor. Using abit of water to lets out the wrinkles. She sets them next to him. "Did you ruin your copper vest yesterday?" 

"Ah...Yes." Percy speaks softly as he shaves against his jaw.

"I liked that one." Vex huffs and gets out the older gold one. 

"So sorry. But I should possibly invest in some armor soon."

"You really should." She sets the clothes out by his side. "We will have to wash your Jacket. It's awfully bloody." 

"Soak the spots with cold water and some clear liquor."

"Oh I known." Vex rolls her eyes. 

Percy flushes. "Ah yes. Of course." He nods curtly and closes his shaving kit, handing it back to her. Vex sets it in his bag, returning with one of the black cloths that Pike had gifted the human. 

"Hold still." She cups his jaw and gently dabs at a small nick on the underside of his jaw. 

"Can you get me the green bottle? Please?" 

Vex smiles, "Such manners." She taps his nose. She fishes the green bottle from his pack.

He pats the strongly pine scented after shave on, giving a small hiss at the burn, and then puts it back. There was a sound out in the hall, Scanlan was singing and Pike laughs. He was awfully persistent and terribly chipper in the mornings. Percy glances at the door then stands up quickly, busying his hands with dressing.

Vex watches him for a moment before she steps in close and lays a hand on his back. "Percy." 

"I'm fine." He says shortly, quickly buttoning the vest.

"I didn't say you weren't. What are you thinking about?"

He was watching his hands as he does his tie. His hands had a slight tremor and he has to make sure he has the Windsor correct. "The others."

"Our friends?"

"Yes."

"What about them?"

"What do they know?"

Vex was quiet then, hand rubbing his back slowly, trying to coax him to relax some. "A bit. They were very concerned for you Percy."

His hands curl into balls at his sides. "I'm not sure...damn."

"They don't care Percy. They understand very well, and they won't treat you any differently. They still trust you with their lives, they still love you like family."

"I'm not so sure. I find it would be difficult to respect someone after this situation. Do...," he glances over his shoulder at Vex, face red. He looks away quickly. "Do you think they heard?"

"Oh I'm certain they did darling. You were awfully loud." Vex answers honestly, then quickly continues. "But they still respect you. They thought we had started this little endeavor a little while back. They've seen people in similar situations. And If any one of them ever makes you uncomfortable about this, you are fully allowed to defend yourself in whatever way you feel is necessary. Or you can ask me," She grins, coming around to his front and holding the man's face in both hands. "Alright?"

He reaches up and rests a hand on hers before giving a slow nod. "Alright, if you're sure?"

"Positive."

Percy nods again, looking at her closely before he pipes up. "How are you?" 

"I'm very happy. You're all mine now," She pinches his cheeks, laughing as the man groans and pulls away indigently. "So cute."

"Oh I wouldn't say that."

"You certainly are."

"Yes, but I wouldn't say it." Percy smirks. He moves to get his gun belt, catching sight of the unfinished arrows on the table top. He falters before buckling it on around his hips. He would fix her bow. He would make the arrows better. He'd make up for that mistake in a different way. 

"Are you hungry dear?" 

"Very." He watches her, fingers quickly weaving her nearly black hair into a long braid. A bit of thick string around her wrist is used to tie it tightly. 

"Come on. Let's go see our friends." She watches Percy take a deep breath, folding his hands behind his back, head tilted up slightly, jaw setting hard. A noble man took the flustered boy's place as they left the room. 

Percy wholly expected...something. He didn't know what. A sideways look, a different tone of voice, questions. Maybe they would still be cross with him. None such thing. He sat down, not letting himself cringe or falter at the hard wooden bench, and breakfast went on like it had any day before. 

That alone, that simple fact that they really hadn't changed towards him, and seemed to have forgiven him, that nearly broke his calm exterior. And it did, in a way only a few of the more perceptive members notice. He smiles more, he laughs more freely, he attempts to joke some more, and seems to only brighten up when they would play along with his humor. It was a tad dry after all.

He is calm, there is no shake to his hands, or bite to his voice. No dark rings under his eyes. He had slept well, now he eats well, and they all make plans to do things together. Scanlan and Grog wanted to go check out some cliff diving thing had heard about. Pike was going with them. 

Percy states he needs to go to the shops, and Vax offers to tag along. 

"I'm just clothes shopping." Percy interjects, not sure the rouge really wants to come.

"Oooh clothes? Percy I want you to show me where you get your clothes! You look like such a strong leader." Keyleth nods. "I think I might need some style tips."

"I think you style suits your position well, Keyleth. I'm not sure your people would appreciate the look of human nobility." 

"Maybe not, but perhaps just a few pointers?"

"You are welcome to come." Percy sighs, forfeiting his argument to the bright eyed woman.

"Oh yay. Clothes shopping!" 

Vax gets a grin. "Maybe you can give me some fashion tips too, eh De rolo?"

"I'm sorry, you are a lost cause to me."

"You ass." Vax rolls his eyes, still grinning. 

"Guess we will all just go then, because I do need to find someone to re string my bow" She nods.

Percy looks away, "Ah yes, I'll handle that and pay for it myself."

Vex reaches up and gently strokes the back of his neck. "We will all go. We will have an elf outing."

"Well-."

"You're an honorary elf for the day," Vex smirks at Percy.

"Oh thank you. What I have always wanted." 

\----

Shopping goes entirely uneventful. Percy buys his clothes from the same couple as last time, and pays to have Vex'es bow restrung. That was easy enough. He'd have to make something better then what was available to give to her. He thinks back to the exploding arrows. They had worked. 

At lunch the others weren't back, and Percy excuses himself with his plate to go upstairs. He eats in his room, pouring over ideas to make these arrows lighter. They were large game arrows, just under the weight of wooden cross bow bolts. They needed a larger bow, and he didn't know if Vex could use a larger bow. 

He gets up and heads to her room, stopping himself outside her door, then goes back downstairs. He stands at the stairs, quietly. When she gets a concerned look he waves her down, before motioning her over. 

"Percy, everything alright?"

"Yes yes. I just had a question."

Vex folds her arms and leans in to be quiet. "Yes of course, what is it?"

"Your arrows. Can I have two?"

Vex frowns, lips pursing as she gives him a hard look. "Percival are you working on those explosives again?" She glares.

"Yes, it's fine I promise. Really, it is. Yesterday was a terrible fluke on my part. I under estimated quite a few factors. That was my fault for getting abit trigger happy. But they are nearly done, the design, and then you will have exploding arrows. Safe ones. They didn't detonate on their own, that again, was my own fault." Percy pleads his case quietly, a little frantic and flustered, standing by the stairs of their small rental. He could feel Keyleth and Vax'es eyes on him. Glancing over he see's Vax smirking at him, looking far to smug.

"Percy eyes on me," He looks back to Vex. "You're being safe. You promise me?"

"Yes. This is very basic work. Like my bullets. Just metal and powder."

"Alright." She reaches up and pushes his hair back. "If you take them out-"

"Not alone. I understand."

She hums and pats his cheek. "Go on. Do what you need to. Thankyou for asking for the arrows."

"Of course." He nods, shoots a sharp glare at Vax, the elf only laughs, then heads back upstairs. With a clear conscious, he takes two arrows and starts to work. 

He needs a smaller arrow head, that still has just as much punch as the larger one. It takes a few designs of arrows and how to fasten them to the wooden shaft, before he was sure he had it.  

While he is working he finds himself shifting in his chair. The sensitive  sting was extremely distracting, and not in any way Percy was comfortable thinking about. Because he finds himself, many times over, shifting into the sore spots as he was working. 

He does his best to ignore his own thoughts and just focus on the work.

He has one finished and he slumps back in his chair with a heavy sigh, anoyyed by the feeling the grew in his gut. But he was also impressed with himself at how quickly he had worked. 

"Percy?"

He startles, looking over to see Vex in the door way.

"Yes? What is it?" 

"I've been standing here a while. I knocked. You didn't respond." 

"Focused."

"Seems like it." She comes over and takes a look at the arrow laid out in front of him. "Wow. You finished it."

"Yeah. Hopefully." He picks it up and hands it to Vex. "How's the weight? That's what got me yesterday."

She spins it slowly, watching the newly sharpened blades flash in the light. "A tad bit top heavy. That can be fixed with larger feathers. I'm just using the flight feathers off of small birds I shoot for Trinket. I've got some turkey's feathers. Those should work."

"Can you do that then?" Percy takes it and sets it into a set of upright plyers, locking it into place above his desk. "When you get a chance, it's here."

"An exploding arrow," Vex breaths, resting her cheek a top of his head. "I never could have imagined. You brilliant boy, thank you."

"Consider my work to be a constant show of gratitude." Percy looks up, pride swelling in his chest. He'd made Vex happy, his work had paid off. "You wanted something?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you'd been waiting?"

"Oh! Yes." She slips a hand under his chin and tilts his head back, gently stroking his throat with her other. 

Percy looks up at her, eye's soft as he watches her smile in the brightness of his room. The sun had made it to this side of the building and shone in bright and abit too warm. Percy was down to just his under shirt, and Vex had on a lose lavender shirt, tied around her waist. Her hand continues on his throat, for moment, gaining a content look from the human. Vex gives a soft squeeze, her palm giving just a small amount of pressure to his throat, and calloused finger pads pressing slowly into the sides of his neck. 

Percy gives a small gasp, as Vex watches his pupils dilate, and his eyes grow soft. She holds the grip till his breath evens out then slowly lets him go.

"There we go. Good boy." Vex praises and gently pats his cheek. "We need to talk."

"Yes, of course." He sits up and gets out of his chair, one hand staying to rest on the back of the chair as the other rubs at his eyes as they sharpen and focus again. "I have questions."

"I'm sure you do, I do too. I want to take a walk though, come on." 

"Alright." Percy grabs his dress shirt from where it was folded over then chair and buttons it up. He leaves his tie behind and keeps the top buttons open.  He was abit of a mess of soot and sweat from working, and wasn't bothered with his appearance at the moment. 

Vex waits by the door and holds her hand out. Percy moves over, extending his, and was happy when she actually took his hand this time and wasn't grabbing onto his arm to drag him around. 

The sun coming through his window was abit warm, with the heat of his work, but outside was actually cool. The trees were starting to change and Percy knew Winter'sCrest would be soon. It would be nice to spend the holidays with a family again.

"Where did you want to walk?" Percy asks, easily keeping stride with Vex, who was a hair taller then him.

"Just around. You need to stretch some after all that sitting." 

"Sounds lovely."

They walk out and towards the town square. Passing shops and warm homes where people were sat outside in the cooling air to rest off a long day of work.

"I really should have asked before now, but how are you feeling? After last night?"

Percy glances to the side then ahead again. "Fine. Calm. It's certainly an improvement aside from soreness." 

"So it helped?"

"I'd say so, yes." Percy talked very curt and concise when he was uncomfortable. Turning back to his childhood teachings of etiquette to deal with his uneasy feelings.

"Good. I really don't want to do anything to you that isn't entirely in your best interest." Vex emphasizes her words. The reaches over to turn Percy's head towards her and holds his gaze. "I'm very serious about that Percy. You must be entirely honest with me. So we can find what works best for you, for us. That makes you feel good with yourself and allows you to be your best you." 

"I understand Vex, I do. I want to be honest, and I will give my best effort."

"Your turn." She let's his cheek go.

"Huh?"

"To ask. Go ahead. We will take turns. We are on equal grounds here Percy, I'm not in charge of anything when we are talking things out." 

Percy thinks that this was an interesting way to show they were equal, but it works. "Yes. My first question is," Vex notices him get a bit of red on his ears. "Is the uh...Last night, that how -ah...consequences will always be?"

Vex can't help be smile at how flustered Percy got. "You're embarrassed you got spanked huh?"

The red spreads quickly across the man's face as he looks around to see if anyone had heard. "Well of course!" He huffs and looks away, towards a street performer playing a violin. "Is it?"

"No Percy," Vex chucks and rubs her thumb over the back of his hand. "That will not be the only way I'd punish you. It's for more serious offenses, like when you blow a hole through yourself." 

"Ah. Makes sense I suppose. What else then?"

"Ahah! My turn." Vex let's go of Percy's hand and shakes a finger at him.

Percy's hands fold behind his back. "It certainly is m'lady. Continue."

Vex pauses, giving Percy a steady look, one that Percy couldn't quite read. Then it was gone and she starts to talk, "What would you say are your weakest qualities in caring for yourself?" 

"Well you know plenty already about that I'm sure." 

"Maybe. But it's important that I hear things from you. What do you know about yourself?"

"Self care?" It certainly wasn't something he thought much of. Upkeep sure, upkeep on his appearance and his knowledge. Actual self care, well, he had a lot on his mind most days.

"I suppose, as you've noticed I'm sure, I get side tracked in my work and become forgetful. Eatting. Drinking. Sleep."

"Is that the only time? When you're working."

"Dear Vex'ahliah I do believe it's my turn?" Percy gives her a coy look.

Vex grins, glad he's relaxing. "It is. Go on."

"The other punishments?"

"You're worried about that huh?"

A wordless nod. 

"Well I've noticed somethings that work for you. Taking things from you. Forcing you to bed early. Making you sit alone to think seems to calm you down. If you need your hands busy, you could write me lines." 

"That all seems....certainly childish."

"I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying it works. I think it will help you. Your normal punishments aren't going to be server, like last night. Most act as reminders to the rules you've broken. When you aren't acting out like you did last night."

"I was not acting out." Percy was indigent at the idea.

"Really? We all left you alone and you take my bow and set a field on fire."

Percy scowls. He hadn't at all connected those two thoughts in his mind.

It goes quiet between them, Percy was clearly in his own head now, analyzing himself, thinking hard over what had happened and what emotions he may have had that he hadn't identified.  Vex gives him a minute of quiet to himself. She knew quiet time would work well for Percy when he got worked up.

She tries to bring him back to the moment by taking Percy's hand and slowly massaging his palm and fingers. Slow gently circles with her own finger tips.

It took a couple long moment before Percy looks at his hand in hers, then looks up to her. "There you are. Thought I had lost you. Now, your forgetfulness. Is that really only when you're working?" She let's his hand go.

"Mostly. Yes."

"Percy." She reaches over and pats his ass.

Percy quickly bats her hand away. "Sometimes I don't...feel like sleeping or eating. It goes on for a while, a few days. I'll crash eventually. I do not have a death wish, I have too much will for that." 

"Who asked about dying Percival? Are you starving yourself?" Vex'es voice raises, clearly on alert now at Percy's cryptic words.

"No no. I guess I meant it as....I'm not doing it to a dangerous point. I'm not trying to hurt myself." He looks back at her, guilt rising up at the worry he sees in her.

"Percy." That was a scold, and he cringes. "Choosing to not eat or sleep is dangerous in any amount. No more of that. That is a very hard rule." 

"Vex, I don't think that will work. Like I said I do just forget." 

"That's different. I will be able to tell when you've skipped lunch because you were busy, and when you didn't eat all day or sleep for two days out of conscious choice." 

Percy couldn't think of a way to dispute that. "That would be my next question. What are your rules exactly?" He tilts his head just slightly as he thinks his words out.

Vex didn't like the way he said rules. Like it was some strange and unappealing idea from a diffrent land. She could see problems on the horizon there. "I don't want there to be a long list Percy. You're a wonderfully brilliant man." 

"Sleep. Skipping one night of sleep is fine. I understand. I take long nights sometimes too. But that second night you better be in bed. Or that next day. I don't care. Food. Two meals a day. I don't care which two but you have to eat and eat well." 

"That seems...entirely reasonable." Percy seems slightly suprised. 

"Good. They should. Rules shouldn't seem unreasonable I don't want you to fail." 

"That's nice. I appreciate that." The sarcasm was back, Percy was relaxing again.

"Ugh. You're so dry sometimes Percy. Your wit will kill me I'm sure."

"Ah, well, sorry. That's another part of me I don't plan to let change." 

"I wouldn't dream it darling." Percy was much more relaxed now. As much as the man avoided personal contact, he soaked it in when it was pushed on him. 

"Another rule, which will be important, is to do as your told. If I say no, or don't do something, it's going to be much more trouble for you to deliberately disobey me. Not the others. They have no grounds to command you, going against what they want won't get you any trouble. But they are aware of our arrangement, and if someone brings something up with me, I may very well agree."

"What if I wholly disagree? I don't want to be constantly stepping light to not break a rule." 

"If you really don't like or understand why I've said something. Speak up. Let's talk about it. I'll take your point of view and you take mine. It might help you. We might make a compromise. You might still hate it.  Tough. If the rule goes against who you are as a person? Safeword. That's all you need to truly refuse something." 

Percy was quiet, but not looking as troubled as a minute ago. They had made a big loop and were nearing the inn again. Vex grabs Percy's arm and draws him towards a cluster of trees with some benches and an old black mark of a fire pit. They sit down, the tree's drop leaves the colors of fine metals. Copper. Gold. Brass. Soon they would be gone and the trees would hold snow.

"That all seems alright, if you're willing to talk." Percy was leaning forward having taken his glasses off as he watches her up close in the dim light. 

"Always. Even if it's to tell me how wrong you think I am." 

"And safeword?" 

"Allways. Last thing is to tell me where you're off to of you leave. Leave a note if you must. I just don't want you wandering off and I have no idea where you are." 

"Will you do the same?" 

That question suprises Vex and she has to watch him quietly for a moment, scanning his face. He looked so much younger without his glasses. 

"Yes Percy. If that would make you happy I will."

Percy nods, "thank you. For the equal ground." 

"Do you have any more questions Percy?"

"Um. Well. Kind of but it's a tad bit off topic." He presses his lips into a thin line, looking out towards the fading line of light on the horizon that was blurry and milky to him. "You do this thing, on occasion, with my...my neck?" He motions towards his throat. "You do it purposely don't you? I don't understand...what you're doing?"

"Does it do anything?" She raises an eyebrow, getting a sly look on her face. 

"Well. Yes. It's actually fairly disconcerting."

Vex expression falters into concern then. "You don't like it?" 

"No no. I do. But that's what I find odd," he reaches up to rub his own neck, "I don't understand." 

"Oh its nothing to be worried about Percival." She reaches over and takes that hand, pulling it down to his side. "You can't do it to yourself. I'm just getting you to submit." She reaches up and gives the back of his neck a firm hold, pressing down till Percy lowers his head. "Its natural for you darling," her grip softens and she rubs a thumb over his throat, watching him shiver. "Submission looks wonderful on you I must say." 

"It feels strange," Percy breaths, keeping his eyes down cast, but his weight shifts to press into Vex. 

"Describe it too me. Let's see if that helps." 

Percy nods, closing his eyes when Vex squeezes again. 

"Its odd. There's alot of juxtaposition to it. I feel relaxed, and distant. But I'm quite attentive."

"Attentive to what?" 

"You. Where you're touching. Your voice." 

"You're just a natural little submissve. But you're not very use to it are you sweetheart?"

"Certainly not. It is...terribly unbecoming of a De Rolo." 

Vex leans into and gently kisses the top of his head. "Its a wonderful thing on a vox machina member. You can be be a powerful ally and a wounderful leader, and still be my precious sub. You can do so much Percival."

Percy looks up, head staying down as he looks through his lashes at her. "Is this apart of everything now?" 

"You're always submissive to me. But to actually put you down? Some would be good for you. It's something we will have to do by ear." One of her eleven ears gives a small twitch, causing Percy to grin and laugh. 

Vex beams and pets the man's hair. "I'd love to put you down and care for you on occasion. I bet it'd calm you. Make you feel to good to be doted on. Give you little orders and praise you and reward you when you're such a good boy." 

Percy rests his elbows on his knees, glasses hanging from his finger tips. "Doesn't sound too awful."

Vex puts an arm around Percy and draws him close, wanting to comfort the man when it was so easy to ruffle his feathers. She nuzzles the back of his head. "Better than a spanking? You were very submissive then too."

"Far better." The young man groans and rubs his eyes. 

"We can tonight then. How does that sound? A treat for you behaving so well today."

Vex talks hushed into his hair and sits holding him. The sun was starting to move off to the far end of the sky. Chimneys would start to smoke soon with dinners. 

Vex waits until Percy had come fully back into himself, and he sits up on his own before she let's him go. 

"Ready to head back?" 

Percy gets to his feet, then helps Vex up, like a gentleman should, then stretches out and dusts himself off. "Back home it is then." He agrees. This time he offers his arm to the woman, and holds her close as they walk back.

 The sun was escaping quickly with the autumn evening, the chill was coming quickly in the brisk evening breeze. Nothing harsh, but they had an excuse to hold tight to each other and walk breast to breast without another look towards them. 

"This will be the first Winter's crest Vax and I spend with loved one's sense we were small." Vex looks at the leaves skittering across the paving stones. 

"Really? I've always had such a large family. And we had alot of ceremonies and parades to attend with the city. But....it has been some years sense I celebrated at all." 

"We will give gifts and feast. Westren is small, but I think there will be a nice festival." 

"That sounds lovely." Percy would get a few little gifts together for his new mess of a family. 

They make it back now, going into the main tavern. Only Grog and Pike were around, and Grog was very excited to tell them about cliff diving with his best buddies. 

"It was a little cold," Pike was wrapped up in a woolen blanket, and sipping tea at the moment. 

"I mean...yeah. I didn' notice it, cause like...I don't get cold? But it was super high and I caught a fish!"

"How on earth did you catch a fish?" Percy asks, then finds himself partially regretting it. 

"Well see, I went down real deep yeah? And I was all turned around so I had to open my eyes, salt burns. " Grog pauses for a moment, looking at them all before getting his thoughts back in place. "Yeah! There was this big fish so I wrestled it! It bit my arm," He flashes his odd fish bite wound. "But I stabbed it and brought it to the surface! It was pretty big."

"It was a big fish. I don't know alot about fish, but I described it to Keyleth and she said it was probably a grouper. It didn't have any teeth, but Grog wants his bite to scar."

"Well it could atleast try!" He glares at the bite on his arm, looking like it wasn't gonna be visible in two days.

Pike sighs and pats Grogs arm. "You've got alot of cool scars Grog."

"Yeeeah." The goliath smiles at Pike then gets up to go get some food.

Pike turns her full attention on her other friends now. "How are you two?" She asks softly, giving them a very kind smile.

"Very well I think," Vex glances at Percy, encouraging him to give his input.

"Well I had a rather fine day." Percy glances across the room. "Let me see if they will light the fire early this evening yeah?" He smiles at the gnome huddled down in the blanket. He walks away with a brisk step, calling out to a bar maid.

"He seems well. Definitely not as, hmmm, anxious. He was very anxious." Pike watches Percy, who liked to talk with his hands when they weren't folded properly behind his back.

"You know what Pike? Anxious is a wonderful way to put it. He was very anxious. He still is."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure. I think he's had some output though. You're good to him Vex."

"I do my best. I'm gonna try and keep up with him, he moves pretty quick you know? His mind. But I think we have enough of the same thoughts that I should be able to track him."

Pike just laughs. "Oh you rangers."

Vex just shrugs and smiles at Percy, when he gets a proud look, motioning to the freshly lit fire. 

"Oh that looks nice," Pike takes her tea with her to sit by the fire. 

Vex was behind her and takes Percy's hand, rubbing it softly. "Get warm Pike. We will see you at supper."

"Alright. You two take care." Pike turns back to her tea as the two leave out the back door and towards their rented bungalow. The others were in there. Scanlan was playing a small stringed instrument and humming as Keyleth and Vax say braiding hair. 

They all meet eyes, not saying a word, but sharing thoughts easily in the silence, then right upstairs they went to hide away in Vex'es room this time, but stopping by Percy's room first. Vex is sitring in her bed, fletching the new arrow with long, thick turkey feathers, she does it with two more for Percy to work with.

Percy is sitting on the floor by her side. He hands her things she asks for, a fine sharp knife she uses to slice the feathers, or he fetches fine string for her to fasten the fletching down with, then he throws out bits of wood and broken feathers. 

Each time he does anything she asks, Vex pulls him in close, praising him in a low, soft voice, hand firm around his throat or on the back of his neck. Then he would sit back down at her feet with his sketch book. 

He wasn't making any drawings of machines, but of a large house she didn't recognize. She assumes it must be his old home, from the detail he manages to give it. But she doesn't ask, not wanting to break the time they were having with heavy questions. 

Percy wasn't hardly thinking of the castle as he draws it out, he was only attempting to keep his hands busy. He was thinking of the sore spots as he sat, and the dark mark he'd seen on his thigh this morning. He thought about how...last night had been truly miserable, and he wanted nothing to do with that again. But the marks had looked kind of nice on his pale skin and the slight sting and soreness was very centering.

He thought that maybe the embarrassment was worth the marks. 

But then Vex is giving him another task and he is moving around the room very quickly. He comes back and her hands come to wrap around his wrists this time and hold them together in front of him. He thinks the marks were so good but they weren't worth upsetting Vex. No matter how badly he'd like them to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember canon events are skewed in this au. And we are due for a big time jump soon. The winter crest events are coming up and our poor kids have a bad time.


	8. Quiet Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy has weak lungs. WinterCrest begins with a bang. VoxMachina is forever changed.

Percy is damn sick of this tiny town. He hasn't stayed in one place this long since leaving WhiteStone. Though this town is about the same size as Whitestone, and offers him about the same amount of business and trade, but also there is no one in here waiting on him to help him fetch obscure bits. So when he wants watch maker's tools, a few tiny, fine, precise instruments, they are very hard to find. Two long days and a favor of helping an elderly man clean out his back cupboard as he listenes to him tell stories, long. Percy was sure his manners only extends so far, and he would break at any time. So he just sneezes and sniffles in the dusty back room listening to the man tell a story about Bella Matriec, a daughter of a small priest for Bahamut. 

But after a few hours, and towards high noon, Percy finishes cleaning the closet when he pushes the last box of sorted transcripts onto a high shelf. Giving a small sneezing fit that left him light headed as he back out of the cupboard. Just then the old man comes shuffling downstairs in his soft suede shoes. "Here you go lad. It's been some years since I got any use out of this. It's a fine set. A gift from a man who visited Mechanus."

"Really?" There is clear disbelief on Percy's features as he accepts a wooden case.

The man takes the expression as one of wonderment, and not one of lies. "Certainly did, hard to believe hmm?"

"It certainly is," Percy agrees and pulls his handkerchief from his pocket to cough into it. "Well thank you for the tools good sir, have a good day." Percy does his politest retreat from the house, as the man calls out for Percy to come back sometime.

"Don't be a stranger! I have many other things I can give out for some help." The old man waves before locking the door.

Percy takes a deep breath of the chilly autumn air, only sneeze again. The young man moans and curses before he cleans his nose and moves along, quick paced towards the rental. He hopes a bath and some tea can get rid of these allergies, but he doesn't know what is living in the thick dust motes in that old man's home. 

When he comes into the front room of their rental he finds Keyleth there, filling an empty bowl up with seeds and dried berries that fall freely from her open hand with little wisps of green magic. "Good afternoon Percy!" She stands up from her seat and moves to an open window. Percy sees she is barefoot, which is hoe Keyleth spend most of her free time. Percy hasn't noticed till now all the birds flocking outside on the courtyard. She tosses part of the bowl full out on the grass then sets the rest on the window sill.

"Good day Keyleth, I have a quick question for you?" He sniffs and sets his new case down.

"Oh? For me? What is it Percy?"

"My allergies are acting up terribly, dust and such, I've got weak lungs. Have you got anything that could help me?"

"Oh yes! I'll make you some strong tea real quick that will clear you right up!" She waves her hand in the air, and it was suddenly full of a few fresh leaves of herbs. 

"Thankyou dear. Much appreciated." He sits down with a heavy sigh, which breaks into coughs. 

Keyleth pulls a kettle off the hearth and fills a big mug, dropping the fresh herbs in. "That sounds a little worse than just allergies." She adds honey before handing it over. "I know you don't like bitter."

"I'm bitter enough on my own, thankyou," Percy nods and accepts the cup.

Keyleth rolls her eyes. "I think you'd just like people to believe that Percy. I think you're very sweet."

"You haven't seen me on a rough day." Percy holds the cup tightly in his clammy hands. 

"I have seen you throw your littles fits Percy. You're very sweet to me." 

"Keyleth, dear, I don't have to tolerate you. I genuinely enjoy you."

"Oh!" The half elf beams, "Why thank you Percy! I genuinely enjoy you too!" She says in her very excited manner.

Percy shakes his head and takes a drink, nearly gagging. "What is this?" 

"It helps numb the throat to help with allergies." Keyleth nods. "Drink it, it'll help."

Percy takes another drink, watching her with a weak scowl. "It's terrible. I'd rather not." He sets the cup down.

"Percy! You'll get worse if you sit around coughing. Drink. Don't make me make you mister." She places her hands on her hips now. When Percy raises one eyebrow and pushes the mug farther away across their coffee table Keyleth grabs it. "Percival!" 

"Why are we shouting at Percy?" Arms come down over the back of the chair, draping over Percy's shoulders and palms resting on his chest. He glances up to see Vex watching Keyleth with amusement. 

"He's got bad allergies and I tried to get him to drink some medicinal tea." Keyleth holds the mug out.

"It's rather acrid and I'm not in any mood for it." Percy rubs his nose. "Scotch and a steam sounds better."

"What is wrong dear?" Vex comes around the chair to get a better look at him.

Percy waves her down, "nothing to be worried about, I was just in a rather dusty place today and I've gotten some allergies."

"Oh, poor darling." Vex leans into and kisses the top of his head. She falters, scowling at him, then kisses his forehead. 

Percy got abit worried, watching Vex closely. Kisses and scowling usually didn't go together.

"He's very warm." Vex announces, much to everyone else's surprise.

"Is he?" Keyleth invades his space now and presses a hand to his forehead. "Oh you are."

"I'm getting Pike," Vex straightens up. 

"Really, I'm fine." Percy pleads, not wanting more people to come in here to stare at him. He really didn't feel well and felt worse and worse then more he was poked.

"You will stay," Vex says firmly, giving Percy a look that gets the young man to slump down in the chair. "Drink your tea, I will be right back."

Keyleth holds the mug out, and Percy lets out a heavy, very distasteful sigh before accepting the mug. Keyleth gives a firm nod and sits down across from him. Vex was already gone, leaving Percy to drink the tea and try to not take his frustrations out on Keyleth. Not that Keyleth was taking it at this point, just giving him a hard steady gaze as he drinks.

It takes a few of those long quiet minutes before Vex and Pike come back into the house. 

"Percy, hey there. How ya feeling?" Pike grabs a footstool and sets it next to the chair, standing on it so they are eye level.

"Fine. Tiered." He speaks shortly, believing he wasn't ill enough for this fuss.

"Percy," Vex glares. "He's warm and he's been coughing."

"Oh I'm sure he's alright," Pike says softly, leaning over to touch his forehead. Percy obediently stays still under Vex'es stern gaze. "A little warm." She takes ahold of her holy symbol and moves her softly glowing hand slowly over his chest. Percy twists away suddenly, only to have a sneezing fit into his sleeve.

"Your bloody tea didn't do anything." He sets the half empty mug down and gets to his feet. "I'm going upstairs to rest, thank you Pike."

"Percy let me get you some medicine." 

"No. I'm fine. I don't want anything else." He cuts her off, grabbing his new case off the coffee table. "I am tiered and I'm in no mood to be prodded any further."

A hand curls around his upper arm, and Percy grinds his teeth together. There is a soft tug and he looks up. "Come on. Let's go."

He sighs, resigned and follows Vex upstairs, not looking back to the other two women as he's towed away.

"I think you need some quiet time hmm?"

"Sounds lovely." Percy grumbles.

She leaves him sitting on his bed, taking his case and setting it with his other tools. "Is that what you got from the old man?"

"Yes."

"That was very nice of him." 

"It was." 

Vex dampens a cloth, then hands Percy water. She wipes down his face and neck. "You need to sit. No working. No reading." 

Percy takes a drink to try and rid himself of the taste of that tea. "Can I have a bath?" His voice softens as Vex wipes dust and sweat from his face. 

Vex cups his jaw and looks him over for a moment. "Yes. Go have a bath. I'm going to have Pike leave medicine in here for you when you get back. But it's quiet time till I come to get you. Alright?"

"Yes." 

"You aren't in any trouble darling, I just think you need to calm down and think about how you plan to treat your friends when they're trying to help you. I know you feel bad, but you were getting a little out of hand."

"I'll apologize." He speaks softly, lowering his head.

"Later."

Percy hums in response, then leans forward slightly. He doesn't see Vex'es smirk, but she pushes her fingers into his hair, stroking it for a moment then tilts his head up to kiss his fore head again. "Sweet boy. Go have your bath." 

He nods and she pats his cheek before leaving him there. 

Calm and quiet now, Percy feels the ache in his chest and heat creating pressure in his head. He really doesn't have time to be sick. He finishes his water, sputtering when he realizes...his throat was numb. This cool, numbing sensation was slowly spreading into his chest, making it slowly easier to breath. The damn tea had worked.

As guilt rides up slowly up on him, Percy grabs his soap and heads down the hall to take a, long, steamy bath. This bathroom was much smaller than the last, with only one large tub. So if he sat on the opposite side of the tub, away from the wall, he could toss cups up water onto the deep set rock pit, releasing huge cloud of steam up into the ceiling. 

His sinuses clear and the itchy patches on his chest are soothed with hot water and soap. There is a heavy ache to his body when he finally gets out, skin pruned and almost too soft. In his room he finds the medicine sits, yet again, in tea form. there is also a dark green wine bottle with a note that says , ' Tea First. '

Percy finishes the tea as he dresses, confused by the wine. The bottle was awfully cold, and there was no cork, then when he sniffs it...there was no alcohol smell. Pouring it into his mug he knows what it is. Apple juice. 

It wasn't liquor but it takes away the flavor of the horrid tea, and it was sweet and cold and felt good in his aching throat. He lays down finally, cough subsided, and naps. It is short, and hard. Upon waking, he is groggy, throat sticky and rough, He feels somehow more worn out then when he had laid down. He blames the tea, but part of him thinks he must have slept out that little fever. So he downs the last of his juice before getting out of bed.

He has to put on pants, because who sleeps in pants, before heading downstairs. Vex had said he had to have quiet time till she came to get him, but it has been at least a few hours now, and he really wanted to get some work done. "Vex? Vex'ahalia?"

"Percy, are you better?"

It was Pike, and she was carrying something away from the small stove set by the fire. 

"Yes, very. Thankyou for your medicine Pike. I'm sorry about earlier. I was abit short."

"It's alright dear. You weren't feeling well. Have you eatten? Vex said when you woke up you were done and you need to eat."

Percy takes that as he was free for the afternoon, but doesn't react to that part at all. "Not in some time."

She beams and sets her dish down on a ceramic tile set on the coffee table. "Sshh. I made blackberry pie. Don't tell the other's yet. Sit sit." She rushes over and gets plates and a knife. "It's my grandfather's recipe. Not as good as his, I'm sure."

"It looks wonderful." Percy felt much more hungry as the pie's smell fills the small front room.

Pike laughs, and it sounds like bells. "Oh well I don't known about that." She sets a large piece on a plate and hands it to him. "If Vex asks I'll say you've had plenty to eat."

Percy laughs, a nervous sound, and focuses on blowing on the pie. 

"I'm sorry. Does it make you uncomfortable? If I talk about you two?"

Percy look up at her, then nods slowly. "Well. Not terribly. You're the best of the group I suppose."

"I'm a cleric Percy, a healer. If people can't talk to me, what good am I?" 

"I've met plenty of rude clerics." 

"Not of Sarenrae." Pike says softly. "It's not what she wants of us. She want's kindness. Gentle hands. Spreading Hope." 

Percy crosses his legs, resting the small plate on one knee. "My family were of Pelor. Sunlight. He is an agricultural deity. So I can't say we've had alot of Clerics around. He doesn't get many fighters, just alot of farmers."

"You follow Pelor?"

"No no, I don't follow anyone. My family did. To an extent. He was the deity of the De Rolos for a very long time. I know of him, I've attended his temples, and I know his prayers. I have no oath to him."

"Maybe someday." Pike sets a plate in the chair across from Percy then hops up into that chair. "I know of him, sunlight and warmth. He has clerics out east, towards the desserts. I like to think He and Sarenrae are friends. Both being of light and all "

"Maybe."

Pike takes a big bite, feet swinging above the rug. "So. Are you feeling better? You're not coughing."

"I feel much better. Thank you. I'm sure your medicine helped."

"Good good. I did a little look over on you when you were first down here, and it didn't seem that bad. It seemed like nasty allergies and a slight chill. Glad you're feeling better."

Percy taps his fork on his plate a moment, clearly thinking. Pike gives him the quiet. "Did you tell Vex that?"

"Yes, I did. I told her you'd feel better with some rest. I'm surprised you can work the way you do with lungs like yours." Pike moves over the subject with ease. Percy would talk to her when he was ready.

"I have my mask when it's heavy work."

"That bird mask. It's very cool." 

"I made that too, back when I was making my gun."

The door behind them flys opens, "I smell it! Where is it!" Grog lumbers into the front room, Scanlan perched on the goliaths shoulder. 

"Oh buddy! I made some pie!"

"Oooh it smells real good Pike I could smell it in the yard." Grog sits down on the floor by the sofa and Scanlan hops onto the sofa.

"Care to share Pikey?" The little man grins.

"Oh well, of course Scanlan." She gets up and starts to distribute pie. "We've gotta leave enough for the others Grog. But if you go pick me more berries I'll make one just for you."

Percy finishes his plate and leaves it on the table with a smile. He wanted to get back to his room and try to get some work done on gifts he intends to give at the end of the week. He has lost nearly two days now trying to get tools and being sick.

\--

It has been years sense Percy has made toys. But he sits down with snips, thin sheets of metal, and the clock makers tools. He builds a wind up bird and a butterfly that flap their wings and skitter around the table top. They shone in bright colors of clean brass and copper. Percy makes sure to embellish them. Etching and carving designs into the butterfly's wings, and setting in bits of colored glass. He carefully cuts out feathers in the different colored metals for the bird's wings. Then they are set into carefull paper packages and labeled for Pike and Keyleth. He has to do something different for Vex, he doubts she had interest in any ticking toys. But he was satisfied with his work, and has managed to do it quickly. So he gets dressed nicely, back in good spirits as he feels much better, and heads down to the front tavern. 

He frowns when he sees the group gathered in the center of a nearly empty tavern. 

"Is everything alright?"

"Percy!" Keyleth cheers. "Didn't think you were coming?"

"Is he?" Vex frowns.

"He's fine, I talked with him earlier." Pike assures.

"Going where?" Percy cuts in.

"The festival starts tonight Percy. It's Winter's Crest!" Keyleth throws her arms around Percy, nearly knocking him over. "I've never spent a Winter's crest in a big city." She takes a tight hold of his coat sleeve. 

"The festival is already starting?"

"It's a week long thing here. Starts a week early and there's a huge celebration on the day." Pike was in her armor, and holding Grog's hand. 

"That sounds lovely. Of course I'm coming." He nods curtly , adjusting his arm so Keyleth could hold it better and not just cling to his side. 

Vax and Scanlan were snickering together closer to the door. Percy turns a frigid blue glare on them. Scanlan stops laughing and claps his hands, "Alright group! Let's get on with festivities!" THen he marches out to lead the group.

Vax smirks back and it looks far to much like a challenge for Percy to not double check that his gun was with him, before they all head out. He wouldn't shoot the elf, of course no! Just spook him, a little graze possibly. Oooh Vex would end him he he so much as threatened to shoot her brother.

His frustrations disperse quickly, enjoying Keyleth's company as they explore the city streets. There are blue and white ribbons up, food carts, performers, bonfires, and lots of vendors selling many different things. 

They have just gotten some food when word reaches them. A gift has been brought to the city, by Arch Mage Eskel. The man they had worked with not a few days earlier. It was held aloft on a platform at the center of the town square. Curious to if it had anything to do with what they had done for him, they went that way, sun setting on the horizon behind them. It gets dark earlier and earlier every day, as Winter closed in to give them long, cold nights. But they still had a few sweet, warm nights left here in autumn.

There was the crystal, massive and round, held up by a large iron base. People were allowed to get close, and see the blue pulsing light, and feel the cold that rolled off it. 

"That looks a little odd." Vex is frowning at the crystal. Her eyes are sharp on it, slowly walking around the round object. "It seems very familiar." 

"He looks odd," It was Vax now, eyeing an older man who was wrapped in red copper robes, book tucked under his arm, and hovering in nearby shadows. 

The tension in the square was palatable, and Percy couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. There were guards around the crystal, but they weren't very alert. The towns folk seem as ease. He continues to scan the area as he tucks a hand into his coat, resting it on his revolver. The hairs on his neck stand up as Vex starts to move closer to inspect the crystal. He was going to call out when that man steps forward. 

"Do not get close! Stay back. Here." 

"Hey buddy I don't know who you are getting off stalking us around," Vax turns on the man, dagger flashing. 

Grog turns as well, and Percy was flanking Vax. But the man in his robes doesn't seem to be threatening them directly, staying back in his shadows, trying to keep a bit of a wall between him and the glow of the crystal. "Don't get close." He repeats. 

"Why not?" Grog questions, shifting his Axe in his hands now. 

It was then that the cracking starts. It's terribly loud, like shattering glass echoing through the city. They all look back towards the crystal, hearing a scream come from it before it shatters. It erupts outwards, in a massive burst of energy that shook buildings, and rang in the towns peoples head. The man in robes leaps forward, book in one hand, and the other open out towards the crystal.

Blue and white energy rushes outward in every direction, and crashes into a barrier this sorcerer has cast around Vox Machina, beating furiously against the magical protection, cracking it, but the barrier manages to hold firm. The energy dissipates and leaves behind an icy wasteland. The people around them, frozen in place in inches of glass like ice. snow and ice cover the ground, windows near by are shattered and building entrances are frozen over heavy with ice and snow. On top of the stand, where the crystal has been, is now a beautiful woman. Nude, pale, and looking very weak.

"Don't get near her!" The sorcerer shouts, flipping pages in his book

Percy watches as the woman jumps down, lifts her hand and shoots a beam at the sorcerer. It misses and crashes into the building behind them, crushing stone and freezing the area over in thick ice. The woman hisses at them, and her other hand comes up.

Percy raises his gun, letting off two shots. They both miss, but the second one goes right by her head, and into a blue glowing rip in the space behind her. The woman hisses again before rushing into the fluctuating portal. The portal flickers and shudders, bursts of frigid air rushing out with whips of sharp snow.

Percy is almost knocked over as Grog rushes past, roaring out his own battle cry, and crashes through the portal only moments after the woman. Vax passes Percy as well, but he finds himself running, just not as quickly, following his teammates after the city's assailant. He looks behind himself, seeing the gnomes right behind him, before he dives into the blinding white light of the portal. 

\---

Percy's boots slide and slip under him on ice covered rocks as he leads Vox Machina down a sheer and icy cliff side. Vax was ahead of him, moving carefully, picking the right places to put their feet, and Percy was leading the rest down carefully. Vax was leaving little red markers of blood in the dense now, and one the pale gray rocks. He was bleeding from his side, but held himself together to get the team safely down the cliff side. Percy had actually sustained the least amount of damage, the rest of his friends were patched up enough through magics and potion to travel safely. But still they move very slow and shaky down the ice covered cliff side, back towards the portal left open by that...that dragon. Percy was still struggling to process it, no one was talking about it really. They were all quiet as they walked, Vax occasionally mumbling about lose gravel. Grog was speaking very softly to Pike in the back. Percy could barely hear the base tone voice over the howling arctic wind.

But yes, that wicked woman had been a dragon. Had. A massive, white, ice cold dragon. It was dead now. Somehow none of them were. Bloody, beaten, and shaking from the cold, but they were alive. They all tumble out of the portal, Grog taking up the rear as he carries both gnomes. Scanlan on his shoulders, Pike cradled in his arms. Pike was clutching a large tooth in her shaking hands, trembling inside her frost covered metal armor. 

"You did so good buddy. You killed that dragon!" Grog was trying to help the clearly shaken gnome cleric. Pike had celebrated in the moment, screaming as she cracked the beast's head open. But once the adrenalin had worn off, and the cold started to set in, they had all started to crash. Hard. There was a hollow spot inside each of them now. It was hard and frozen over, and Percy didn't know how long it would take for them all to be back to themselves. 

Scanlan has been the quietest he's ever been, hadn't said more than a few words sense waking up. Pike's celebration had been cut short when she had to rush across the bloody shlush of the battle field, to dump the last of her energy into Scanlan. The gnome had woken with a cry, just as Pike crumpled into the snow, drained. Grog had picked them both up and held them both while they took a few minutes to regroup before starting down the mountain. Keyleth and Vex had managed to pull a lot of remains off the Dragon. Percy and Vax sat back to back on a boulder, keeping an eye out in the blizzard for any more enemies. Silent, they hadn't said a word to each other. Percy ad given Vax the health potion he had in his amo bag, it had slowed his bleeding, not stopped it.

"Thank the gods." Vax croaks, when they come into the view of the portal, still very much there, shifting and sparking arcane energy against the raging blizzard. 

Percy breaths a prayer out to pelor, to bring some sun to this forsaken plane. Vax takes Vex'es hand, who was holding tightly to the side of her bear. They go through the portal first. Percy takes Keyleth's hand and goes through with her. Grog folds himself with the gnomes before pushing into the portal as well. It went unspoken that no one was going to pass through the portal alone.

They limp onto the cobble stones, back in their small town, water and gravely mud squishing under their feet. They see things are melting slowly, and the people who had been frozen solid, were free. Some on the ground in cold pools of water and muck, some wandering around to help others, or find out what has happened. The air was too warm still, for the magic induced ice to have stuck around. There were guards coming around to collect people. They weren't local guard, but a guard force from a city near by, Percy doesn't recognize their coat arms. 

It takes Percy a glance to the sky to realize time had been greatly distorted in their travel. The sun is rising slowly, it is mid morning and the warmth is the best thing he'd ever felt. 

Outside the portal they were immediately seized by guards who had been surrounding it. "What are you doing? Where did you come from!"

"We killed the fucking dragon." Vax snarls, clutching his side.

Keyleth, who had been carrying the front hand of the beast, throws it to the ground.

The guards were stunned. "We need to get you to the officials."

"Fuck that. We're going to rest." Vax pushes one away, weaker than normal, but the man moves, leaving a bloody streaked hand on his chest plate. The rest follow silently.

"Where...where are you going?" The guards don't try and stop them again, regrouping around the portal.

"SheepHead inn." Scanlan says softly as Grog is the last to pass the guards, the gnome looking down at them men. He was covered in blood from collapsing unconscious near the bleeding out corpse of the dragon. 

They move slow, and quiet back towards the inn, and into their small house. Grog carries the gnomes upstairs and leaves them to tend to themselves. Then he comes back down and starts a large fire, as much as their fire place can safely hold. Percy washes himself some, quick and still trembling. He changes into clean clothes, then comes down to Join Grog, silent, as he readies a couple of kettles on the hearth. 

Scanlan is next down and leaves, going to the main inn to order food. He returns with two maids, all of them carrying simple foods. Cooked meats, bowl of potatoes, loaves of bread. The twins are down now, Vax'es bleeding stopped by another potion, and Percy helps them push all their furniture against the walls. The food is set in the middle of the rugs as Keyleth and Pike come down bringing with them all the pillows and blankets from all the rooms.

They are all rough, and move slowly, and wince a lot, but they gather around the food. Pike sits in Grog's hold, as they all eat together. There isn't much talking. Food is eaten slowly, even though they manage to finish it off, no one seemed to be able to eat any faster. Percy spots the rest of Pike's pie, forgotten atop of the oven. Remembering yesterday makes his gut clench, and Percy pushes his food away.

It's all gone a few minutes later, dishes stacked outside the door then the door is bolted. They all huddle together near the fire, wordlessly keeping close. Grog stays sat up with his axe by his side, back on the fireplace wall. Pike in his lap, wrapped in a quilt. Scanlan huddled against the goliaths leg. The twins sleep in the center of the rug, back to back, weapons laid at the fire's feet. Keyleth lays in front of Vax, staff above her head. Trinket lays between them all and the door. 

Percy moves slowly across the ground, settling down near Vex. She watches him, her blue eyes glowing in the darkened room. Blankets have been hung over the windows so the only light was the roaring fire. It casts dreary shadows on their faces, and long, crooked silhouettes on the walls. The furniture looks like forgotten shadow monsters, cowering out of fire light. 

Percy sets his glasses aside then settles down in front of Vex, his gun slides under his pillow as he was holding her gaze. He lays just close enough he could see her clearly, and watches her expression. She slowly reaches out and touches his cheek, hand steady, always so steady. Percy lowers his eye lids, and turns his head slightly to kiss her finger tips. Two were split open from using her bow string in the horrid cold. She gives him the smallest smile, dark circles under her eyes, and pets his hair for a moment. He moves in closer, their feet touching, but separated by quilts. 

The bear that was laying close, shifts in closer, sniffing at Percy curiously. Percy pats the bears nose before wrapping his hands around one of Vex'es. She closes her eyes, and he follows easily.

It's quiet.

They are all huddled close together, sharing a fire and a life changing experience. 

Then they share dreams of cold, and of teeth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be doing my best to balance the story, with some sexual themes yes of course, but a strong over laying story line of this relationship having an over all positive effect for both Percy and Vex. Not Porn with plot, but plot with some added porn. Also, future parts will be much longer, I swear.
> 
> The main posting for this story is on Tumblr. http://criticalwriter.tumblr.com
> 
> You can go there or here to message me any ideas you have of situations Percy may have, or canonically has gotten himself into, as our dear gunslinger doesn’t always make the best choices for himself. If it is a real event, I’d appreciate at least an episode number or title, and possibly an approximate time, but I can go search if need be. Also tag me, on Tumblr, in posts you think could be useful to the idea of Sub!Percy.


	9. Lay Still in the Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy sleeps terribly and Vex tries to ease the pain as they both attempt to return to normal.

That was all the final quiet moments for well over a week. They had been woken from that fretful and long sleep by pounding on the door. The rest of their week had been a bloody nightmare! A trial, a new city, thieves, demons, another gods damned dragon! Then they had jumped through yet another portal, and fought a man who enslaved children. There had been a hag at some point in there, too. And Pike had died. Oh hells...Pike had been dead. For minutes long. Percy had felt a coldness grow in himself when he'd seen Pike impaled and laid out on the cold stone floor of the throne room. 

He had rushed at the Demon, unloading bullet after bullet into the beast. His barrels had emptied, and then at close range, Percy slashed into the beast with his his short sword. He remembers a taste in his mouth, he remembers it vividly now, laying alone in a silent room for the first time since that moment. He'd felt his throat and nose burn, his eyes dry and hot. He'd tasted in his mouth, smoke, metal, gun powder. Thick, hot, bitter and rich in mouth. As he runs his tongue along the roof of his mouth, he swears he can still taste it.

He tells himself, he must have had blood in his mouth. He must have inhaled smoke off his gun. Why would there be smoke in his mouth? He remembers choking on it, swallowing against bitter smoke.

Percy tastes it again, and gets up out of bed, dressing quickly. Pulling his coat on and a scarf. Winter was setting in quckily here in the west, in Emon. The council has put Vox Machina up in one of the nicest Inn's in the city, all expenses paid, while a keep was constructed for them to their specifications. 

A new home. It was hard to believe, after years of living from a bag and sleeping in strange rooms, soon there would be a place to call home again. 

"Something dark and warm please." Percy sets a few gold on the bar top. A tip. A mug of warm, and spiced wine is placed into Percy's hands. Percy leaves the inn then, and starts to climb the stairs that led to a little viewing balcony. With a glance up, Percy continues his path, slowly, and carefully, as the roof tiles were slick with frost. With a deep breath out, Percy watches white billow from his mouth and dissipate in the night sky. A shiver goes through his body, which is immediately followed by a long drink of the wine. To fight off the cold, of course. Of course.

The cloud top district glows the brightest in the city. Percy can pinpoint the castle at the very top, it's spires putting out bright light. Slowly, down through the layers of wealth, things grow dimmer. Percy knew they were currently sat to high up the hill to see the darkest parts of the city. White Stone had been very small, and true poverty wasn't known in it's city limits. But that was something unavoidable in a sprawling capital city such as this one. Up past those gates was a wealth that rivals what Percy has known. Behind him, was a poverty he doubts he'll ever know. 

He sees what is really lighting the city up tonight though. Fire's. Nothing dangerous. Though Winter's Crest had technically past a few days back, the city and neighboring ones, had decided to celebrate this following week. Vox Machina has actually been promised the festival's parade will be in their name. Graciously and humbly accepting honors was something that did not faze Percival, and the idea of attending a Parade like that had none of the weight to him that it seemed to have on the others. It was casual, appropriate business. The house was a surprise, and Percy would submit a few sketches for something he wanted added in.

Percy wasn't excited for the festival like he had been last week, or the week before, he was just tiered. Tiered and afraid to sleep. What rest he as managed in the past few days has been plagued with dark visions, and frightened cries of loved ones. Old and new. 

"Hmm?" Percy peers into his mug and finds it's already empty. He lays back against the rolling, stone roof tiles, and stares at the sky. It seemed more sharp in the winter, when pollen, dust, and heat were sucked from the air, leaving nothing between the stars and his eyes.

"OI! PERCY!" 

Percy sucks in sharply, cold air shocking his lungs.  A bright light blinds him, and Percy holds a hand up in front of his eyes, feeling around himself he hits something before pushing himself up into a sitting position. He hears something skitter over the roof tiles near him, and crash below him. 

"Why you on a roof?" 

Percy blinks, the blinding light was the sun shining in his face. He looks down at himself and finds a thin coating of fresh snow coating his clothing. He looks down, seeing Scanlan and Grog standing on the balcony well below him, a smashed mug at their feet.

"Did ya' sleep on uh' roof?" Grog tilts his head.

"It appears so, yes." Percy pinches the bridge of his nose with one gloved hand, neck and back aching horribly from his sleeping place. 

"You must have really been smashed last night!" Grog laughs as Scanlan pokes at the smashed mug. 

"Much less so then you'd think one needs to be to fall asleep on a roof." Percy dusts some snow off himself and starts to slide carefully down the roof. 

Grog holds a hand out and easily helps Percy down onto his feet on the balcony. 

"Dude aren't you freezing?" Scanlan grabs the sleeve of Percy's jacket to test the material. 

"I'm not warm."

"If you get sick Vex will have your head."

"She isn't to be bothered by this." Percy keeps trying to get slowly melting snow off his clothes. He catches the look Grog and Scanlan share, and scowls. "What? What is that?"

"Ain't Vex yer lady friend?"

"Not in the way you think Grog. She is a lady, and she is my friend." Percy gives up, and just quickly gets colder as his clothing gets damp. 

"You're more than friend's, Percy." Scanlan was getting that damnable tone about him, where he was serious and expressed a rarely seen wisdom. 

Percy scowls, "I'd like to get inside and change into something more dry." He walks past them and down the long curving staircase.

"Percy, are you trying to call it off?"

"Scanlan, please don't speak like you understand my relationships."

"I think I do more than you." 

Percy stops at the bottom of the staircase, looking back at Scanlan. "It's not what you think Scanlan, we aren't some constantly active idea. We shut on and off with moments. We don't expect something from one another at all times."

"She does."

Percy rolls his eyes and starts to walk again, letting himself walk quickly as to leave the gnome behind. "We are a thing of convenience. Scanlan what do you want?"

"We were all lookin' fer ya. Barmaid said you'd come through last night and left. So." Grog shrugs. 

Percy sighs and mumbles under his breath before going inside. "I am a grown man you know? I can be gone alone for periods of time." 

"Last time you blew yourself up. This time you sleep in the snow. Your track record saaaayys..no..no you can't."

"Scanlan, your wit astounds me." Percy answers dryly. When Scanlan opens his mouth again, getting his signature coy grin, Percy turns and holds a hand up. "Scanlan. My patients wears thin. I'm sure you'll understand if I simply can't listen to you any more at the moment?"

Scanlan shrugs, holding his hands up like a sign of surrender. "Honestly, not the worse thing you've said to me."

Percy grins a little then before leaving the two men. On the upstairs landing he runs into Keyleth. Well she grabs him up into a hug before he even had a chance to see her, then she is holding by his shoulders tightly.

"Oh Percy! They found you. You're...wet?"

"Snow. I'm going to change."

"You were up early enough to get snowed on?"

"I fell asleep outside," Percy rubs at his face, skewing his glasses. He wasn't enjoying trying to explain his less thought out choices. 

"Oh wow really? I haven't slept outside in a long time. I mean aside from like a mission, or traveling. But not some honest camping in a long time. Percy! Do you want to go camping?"

"Not particularly no."

Keyleth frowns. "Then why are you sleeping outside?"

"Lapse in judgment. And I didn't sleep much, I feel awful honestly."

"Well it got cold enough to snow, and you're just a human. You could have just not woke up."

"Thank you, Keyleth, for that comforting thought." Percy turns and pushes his way into his room, leaving the half elf to process her words. His door closed before she manages any kind of apology. 

But she does knock. "Peeerrcy!"

"Keyleth please, I am trying to change clothes."

"Well I just wanted you to know I'm sending Vex."

There was a beat of silence before the  lock makes a heavy sound and the door opens a crack. Percy's coat was gone and his shirt was mostly unbuttoned. 

"Why? Why is that necessary?"

"Percy, you slept in the snow. She needs to know." Keyleth speaks in a very steady and nuetral tone. Wanting to keep the man from getting too worked up.

"Keyleth." Percy pleads with a small look. "It is not necessary." 

"If I don't tell her who is? Are you?" 

"No. It's not some that that needs to be discussed...agh." He stiffens up, jaw locking up to turn his glare on the ceiling tiles.

Keyleth can see him getting worked up quick. He normally wasn't this easy to upset and that spoke louder then even his choice of sleeping arrangements. 

"Percy," She lays a hand on his arm. "Just go back to changing. Don't catch cold yeah?"

"Keyleth," Percy's arms fold behind his back and she can practically see the rehearsed words start forming in his head. He was trying to go all nobel man on her to separate himself from the situation.

She cuts him off. "I'll talk to you later Percy." She leaves him then, not liking to muddle around in what was private business. Not too much at least.

Percy groans, teeth clenched, and it comes out like a small growl. He pushes the door closed and goes back to hurriedly changing into casual clothing. He's rolling the sleeves up on a soft woolen sweater when his door opens. 

"I do not want to talk." He says shortly, not looking up from his small task. 

"Well good morning too you too grumpy." Vex huffs. She locks the door before coming over. "Would you like help?"

Percy was struggling with the sleeve of his non dominate hand. "It's fine."

"Hand out. Palm up." Vex slips her hands under Percy's elbow and wrist, gently guiding his arm and hand into a certain position. "When I ask for your hands out this is how you hold it. Alright? Both up please." 

Percy lifts his other arm, palm up matching the left. His eyes were cast down, glaring at his hands. He wasn't huffing or looking like he might snap. When Vex studies his face she can see his mouth twisted to on side, and his cheeks puffed up. His brow was knitted down towards his view of his hands. She can't be smile, as she saw this honest pout had snuck onto Percy's expression. 

"Good boy. Hold." Her fingers trail up the insides of his arms and fix both of the sleeves. "There. Much better. You can relax."

Percy glances to the side, his first direct look at Vex, before he lowers his arms to his sides. 

"Why aren't you talking?" 

"I am afraid I'll just dig myself a bigger hole."

"Bigger? You aren't in any hole." 

One brow goes up. "Did you speak with Keyleth?" 

"Yes. But I'm not upset with you." Vex'es hands come up, pressing to the man's forehead and the bis neck. She holds his hands. "Your hands are cold but you seem okay. You don't seem sickly. How do you feel?" 

"Stiff. Tiered." 

Vex moves around the back of him and starts to press gently at the muscles in his shoulders and down his back. "Hhmmmm....mhhm. Lay on your bed. On your belly dear."

"I'd really like some coffee. And food." Percy steps away.

"The staff is cooking. Someone will tell us when the food arrives. Lay down on your belly or should I repeat myself a second time?"

"No." Percy lays down on his belly, stretching himself out. He takes off his glasses as he presses his cheek to the pillow. He watches Vex'es blurred form tie her hair back.

She was wearinf socks, tights, and tightly wrapped shirt. Its complicatd shash and tie spoke of elven fashion. Her feet are silent on the hard wood floor, so Percy is surprised when she got onto the bed and moves to straddle over his him. She settles down to rest on his hips, weight leaned back into his ass. 

Her hands rest on the back of his sweater, palms rubbing small circles in place. Percy was starring down into the threads on the quilt of his bed, trying to control his breathing. She is a soft, comfortable weight on him. Warm, and easy, she shifts abit on her knees to get comfortable ontop of him.

Percy swipes his tongue over his lips when one of her hands slides up his back, skips his neck, and her finger tips press into his hair. She pets it and rubs his scalp, massaging at a small amount of a tension headache Percy had gotten. Percy sighs softly when he feels some pressure release from behind his eyes. 

"That's a good boy." She tugs his hair gently, holding onto it and pulls his head up. She smiles when he looks back, her still holding his hair. "I want to push your shirt up Percy. Is that okay?"

She had asked to push his shirt up. The confused look Percy gives Vex was utterly adorable. His eyes were wide as he attempts to focus on her, his head tiled back while her hand holds his hair. His mouth was hanging open slightly as he thinks about how that was such an odd request. 

"Percival, this is the second time I've had to repeat myself this morning." Her grip on his hair tightens, sending little bolts of pain down his head and neck, leaving behind little distracting tingles in his skin. "Can I push your shirt up?" 

"Yes, yes. Of course, that's fine." 

She lays his head back down and smooths out his hair. "Thank you dear. I didn't want to do something without asking you first." Her hand moves down and stops on his neck this time, wrapping around and pressing his head down. His cheek is pressed firmer against the quilt, but it isn's smothering. It is firm and steady, and helps to hold him down. Percy relaxes under her, breathing softly against the blankets. "Now you need to just hold still and tell me how things feel." 

"Feels nice." Percy's response was immediate. 

Vex laughs and rubs his neck, giving it a squeeze. "Not quite what I meant darling but I'm glad you're still so sensitive."

"Will it change?"

"It could," Her hand leaves his neck and Percy is certainly disappointed. "But it might not. You'll get more use to it though." Her hands push his purple woolen sweater up his back, bunching it up around his shoulder blades.

"I can't imagine just...getting use to it." 

"Maybe you won't. That would be nice too, don't you think? If you stayed so sensitive." She shifts over him again, hands resting on his now bare back. The heels of her hands dig into the muscles right above his hips, fingers rolling along the edges of his spine. Her hands slowly move up, fingers rubbing along his spine, palms pressing down and running over the wide span of his back.

"Percy?'

 "Hmm?"

The hands leave his back, and he can feel her weight shift back. Before he can even complain that she hadn't finished the massage, there is a hard smack to his ass.

"AH!" Percy jolts, head popping up. He looks back at her, a look of betrayal plastered across his features. 

"That is the third time I have had to repeat myself this morning Percival. You've had plenty warnings."

His expression drops into something much more apologetic. "I am sorry. I was abit in my head."

"Alright. Try and give me some attention yes? I can't let you get away with this. You must learn to give me your attention Percival. I give you all of mine." Firm hands return to his back, starting at the bottom again.

"Yes. I'll focus more."

"On me. Only me. Let everything else leave you." 

Percy closes his eyes, there wasn't much he could see in the room at the moment anyhow. "On you."

Vex'es hands were soft, with small callouses on her bow string fingers, and on the heels of her palms. They move all the way up his back, then all the way down. Then she slides her hands into the collar of his shirt, massaging his shoulders, and slowly creep to his neck. Percy holds his breath when she nears the sensitive spots between his neck and throat.

Her thumbs dig right in to those tender spots, and Percy lets out a low groan. Vex can't help but chuckle as she's continuing to rub the tense muscles. Percy shifts to press his face down into the bed.

"Are you hiding from me now dear?"

"No. I am trying to be quiet," His voice was lower. 

"No I'd like to hear. Do make sure I can hear."

"Mmnnn....Okay."

Her hand suddenly curls around the front of his throat and squeezes, causing Percy to gasp shallowly. "You wanted to say no."

"Am I allowed too?"

Her thumb rolls over his adams apple. "Don't just say no, and refuse. Say you'd not like to, and tell me why. If you simply tell me no you'll get in trouble."

"I don't want to be noisy. I'm afraid the others will hear." Percy swallows tightly, throat pressing against her grip. "I don't want them to hear." 

Her finger tips drum against the small of his back. "Okay. Thankyou for speaking up my dear boy. You're doing very well. Just a little slip up."

"Thankyou." 

"You can keep quiet if you like." Her hands return to massaging his sore muscles. This time Percy tucks his nose into his pillows, breathing hot into them. When he feels the swell of a moan building in his chest, he holds his breath and then breaths out slowly.

They carry on in their silence like that for a few more minutes, all the chill chased from Percy's body as Vex was pressed close to him and pushes the fridgid night out of him.  

There is a soft knock. "Percy. Vex. Breakfast." It was Pike's chipper voice, sounding like soft bells on the other side of their door.

Percy suddenly let's out a soft whimper, turning away to face away from the door. He shifts under Vex for the first time and she grabs his neck and give a sharp, "Still." He quit moving

"We will be right out Pike deary." Vex calls out then hears the gnome leave before leaning down. "Percy, dearest, look at me." He obeys. "What is wrong? That was an awfully sad sound."

Percy blinks up at her. There is an obvious spacey, and distant look on his face. "I am not sure. I was frightened she was coming in."

"No no. No one is going to get to see my boy like this except me." Vex leans down and kisses his temple. "Come on. Stretch abit, see if you feel better." She slides off Percy. 

"Okay."  He pushes himself up to then sits on the edge. He rolls his shoulders and rubs his face. Vex cups his jaw and tilts his head up, sliding his glasses on for him. Her hands linger to stroke his cheek and his hair. 

"How do you feel? In your head still?"

"Yes. It's getting better."

"Good," her hand stays stroking Percy's white hair. Partially to comfort. Partially to groom it. "Later we will be having a little talk about what happened last night. We will have a nice walk through the festival and talk."

"You said I wasn't in any trouble."

"You aren't. I want to talk. Plus I miss my boy, It's been an awfull week. Hasn't it?"  Percy's bites down at the edge of his lip, lines forming at the corner of his eyes. He gives a small nod, and Vex wraps her arms around his shoulders and draws Percy in close. "It's hard, I know. Let's just use the time we have as well as we can." 

Percy rests his forehead on her shoulder, sighing as he is able to center himself in her hold. He reaches up and rests a hand on her arm, so she pulls back to smile at him. 

"Better?"

"Much. "

"Lets see if coffee can fix the rest."

"I'm sure it can."

Vex reaches down and helps straighten her sub's sweater. "Let's go then." 


	10. Buttons and Buckles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy doesn't think he has anything to talk about.

The talk about sleeping in the snow wasn't all that terrible. Vex really wasn't mad, and she just seemed...worried. That worried look she had, as she holds Percy's hand and they walk slowly through the busy festival streets. That look, it gave Percy sharp pangs of guilt. 

He apologizes, a few times, and promises he had no plans to sleep alone in the snow again.

"If you can't sleep I'd like you to come see me." 

"It was terribly late. You were asleep."

"I don't care. If you can't sleep I will help if I can. No more talk about it. Let's get some cider yes?" 

Percy sighs, "yes cider sounds wonderful." 

"I'll be right back." Vex squeezes his hand before going to a busy looking cider cart. 

Percy distracts himself by checking out some near by vendors. He takes his gloves off and tucks them into his coat pocket so he can handle some items. 

There was one artisan selling fine porcelain masks. Hand painted with adornments of crystals and feathers. 

To fragile.

There was a jewelry maker who worked with fine metals and semi precious stones. Making necklaces and broaches designed like water birds mostly.

To tacky.

Percy finds one elderly man with steady old hands, working with spools of different wire. Different metals. Different thickness. He had a carved wooden head and slowly spins intricate wire circlets. Some adorn with ivy or flowers of shining silver. Some with intricate flowing knot patterns. 

"Abit ostentatious. Don't you think?"

Percy glances over to see Vex has slipped up silently behind him.

"I suppose so. Nice as an accessory. But it carries no meaning." He sets down the one he was holding. 

"Warm your hands." Vex hands him a tankard of hot cider and they walk side by side and drink. 

Percy was thinking with some slowly mounting anxiety. What could he give Vex? She had refined taste, yes, but only for things that held real importance. She was also very sentimental, with her large warm heart. But thoughtless things wouldn't do. No. They just wouldn't do. 

"What are you thinking so hard about? You might hurt yourself." 

Percy coughs on his cider. "Hmm? Oh nothing really. Just what we might all do to celebrate?"

"Eat well, drink well, sing and be merry. You know how it goes. I've got something to gift my brother." 

"I haven't seen Vax today." Percy frowns. 

"Yes he's gone off early this morning. He says he wants to get to know the city better. Learn it. He likes to know the quick routes and the hidden spots." 

"That seems very Vax'ildan." 

"What would you like to do for celebration Percy?"

"Well," Percy shoves his free hand in his coat pocket to keep it warm. "I have gifts for Pike and Keyleth. But just spending the time with you all should be wonderful." 

"Well if there's anything special you'd like to do just say yeah?"

"Alright." Percy sets his tankard in a bin. They had been branded on the bottoms and would be returned by city workers. 

"I'll have some things for you to do soon."

Percy turns his head quickly to face her, glasses sliding down. "What is it?" He pushes them up. Vex hadn't actually asked him to do anything before. He knew that was part of...this. Of them.

"Later." She slides her hand into his. "Now I'd like to get some roasted nuts and see the ribbon dancers." 

"Vex'ahlia!" 

Percy looks past Vex to see Vax was waving at them. Actually he saw Vax second. The first thing he saw was purple. I vibrant, rich, royal purple, with flashes of gold and ivory white. Then he saw Vax in his dark blues and smokey grays. 

"Brother. There you are you've been gone all day."

"Yes I've been exploring some. Getting to know our new home yeah."

"Well alright." Vex is staring at the same thing Percy is. A man. A stranger. Then Vax touches that man, gently, with just finger tips, on the silky sleeve of this older man's robes. "I'd like you to meet my new acquaintance. This is Shaun Gilmore." 

"Just Gilmore if you all would be so kind." He breaks into a dashing smile. 

Percy lifts himself and nods, "Percival Fredrickstien Von Musel Klossowski De Rolo the third." He holds a hand out. 

"Just call him Percy," Vax rolls his eyes. 

Gilmore doesn't see it, because his eyes locked on Percy and there was something there that nearly made Percy take a step back, or reach for his gun. It wasn't hostile, he was just startled. Because the man's eyes had shifted, for just a moment. From a golden hazel, bright and lively, to a vibrant crimson. Not the red of blood, but a warm and cinnamon like red. 

Then they were a soft gold again, and Gilmore's hand slides into his. It was larger and soft, like his smile. "Hello Percival. It's wonderful to meet you. It really is." 

"The pleasure is mine." Percy shakes his hand then steps back now, with more grace and manners then he really wanted to have. He finds himself giving a small, sort of nodding bow. It startles him and he straightens quickly. Gilmore has a look that itches on Percy's skin. Like he knew something, and he appeared very smug. Amused.

A hand slides over Percy's spine, and he realizes he had nearly backed into Vex. 

"And my Sister. Vex'ahlia." 

"Oh yes. And equally as stunning I see."

"I think you aren't seeing me at the right angle." Vax smirks.

"I'd like to see every angle Vax'ildan."

"Vax. How did you two meet?" Vex cuts in, trying to stop the clear train of  flirting.

"Oh. He owns a shop up the city. It was very interesting on the outside. I decided to check it out."

"I was just about to leave my shop but I thought he seemed familiar. Surely enough it was the elfish boy from Vox Machina. True local heros."

"I wouldn't say that." 

"Oh many call you heros."

"That yes. I'm no boy."

Gilmore laughs then, looking down at Vax with at wide grin. "If you say so darling." 

"Alright well," Vex rolls her eyes. "Percy and I are gonna go. You two...have fun. It was wonderful meeting you Gilmore." 

"Come by my shop after the festival. We can talk out a deal, Vax can fill you in later." 

Vex looks interested for a moment. "Well alright. See you tonight brother." She pushes gently on Percy's back, steering him away without another word. 

Percy glances at Vax then the new man again. They both wave back at them, and Gilmore meets his eyes and just laughs. Again. 

Percy was on edge now, not sure what had just all happened. He had clearly been the only one to see those warm red eyes. He was the only one Gilmore had seemed so amused by. No. That was a lie. He'd laughed at Vax too...

"My brother has the strangest taste in men I swear. I think the nuts were this way." 

"I'm think I'd like to go back to the house." 

"What? Of course not. Come on, the ribbon dancers are soon."

"You go. I'll see you tonight." 

"Percy?" 

Percy was already walking away, having said his parting words. His steps were quick, hurried, an attempt at an inconspicuous escape. He breaks out of one line of shops, headed across a wide open square. The square is bustling with people selling wears, performers, crowds gathered around it all. Percy bumps into someone and side steps quickly to walk around them, not processing he'd pushed a person aside in his anxious flee. 

A hand grabs his arm, tugging it and him back sharply, one step, then pressing the arm to his back, the other hand on the small of back to hold him stead.

"Apologize."

Percy looks to the side and sees the middle aged woman he'd nearly knocked over. "I'm sorry for that Ma'am. Wondrous crest festival to you." 

The woman moves on with a smile. 

Percy doesn't say anything or move for a moment. The hand tightens around his forearm. 

"Not here," he says softly. 

"Do not walk away from me like that. Inexcusable." She speaks into his ear, a sharp but hushed voice between only them.

"Not here." 

"Behave in public and it shouldn't be a problem."

"I am sorry for walking away." 

There is a nudge. "Go. We're blocking the path." Vex keeps ahold of Percy's arm, walking beside him.

Percy was sure people could see right through their calm and casual facade. They could see his bubbling, confused emotions and how he nervously presses his thumb nail into his palm. 

"What has gotten you so worked up Percival? You're never so rude to anyone."

"I was in my head I suppose. I apologize." 

"No apologizing. Not yet." 

Percy sighs through his nose, rolling his eyes up. Vex always seemed to want to put stipulations on to when and how he could apologize. 

"Oh please, Percival. Do give me all of your attitude, I'd love to go back home and deal with that very quickly."

"I really am not -" 

"You will not have this attitude with me. You can be as pretentious and bull headed as you like with others but I won't have a bit of it."

Percy opts to his old staying quiet can't get him any more trouble method, and lets Vex quietly guide him.

Percy convinces himself on their short walk that others really couldn't tell what was happening between them. No one's eyes linger if they even look. And he assumes it must just look like they were both keeping close in the crowds.

When they make it back to the manor, It was empty and locked. Everyone was still out enjoying the festival. That was both a relief and disheartening. The others weren't oblivious passer bys and would surely see through them. But it also reminds Percy he's ruined their afternoon out together, one he'd been rather excited for other wise.

Vex lets go of him once inside leaving him to stand on the living room rug. "So. Do you want to talk about what's upsetting you?"

"I'm fine, Vex, really. I am sorry for ruining the afternoon." 

"You haven't ruined anything, Percy." Vex really didn't want him focused on that right now. He always tried to focus on and apologize for little things that affected others, then trying to talk about what exactly has gotten him in this situation. What was affecting him. "Now answer my question. Do you want to talk about what is upsetting you?"

"Nothing is upsetting me." Percy bites, hands clenched where they were folded behind his back.

Vex could see he was only getting worked up, and she didn't want to stand and get into an argument with him. That wasn't helping anyone. She can tell that she spent a moment too long thinking, because she sees his jaw clench and lift his head up, clearly thinking he's won this argument. 

Vex crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow. Ooh he was pushing buttons today. "Fine, if you don't want to answer me-"

"I did."

"Go upstairs." She growls. 

Percy falters then, clearly not expecting the anger. 

"Now." 

Percy glances at the stairs, back to Vex and her sharp look, then moves towards and upstairs. He falters at the top of the landing. Not sure where exactly to go. Her hand presses to his lower back, right above his ass. "Your room. Go on."

Once in the room Vex pushes him towards his desk. "Go. Sit down." 

Percy obeys, eyes nervously flitting towards her while he tries to keep his calm demeanor. He doesn't have anything to talk about and wasn't going to be scared into talking. 

Vex digs around in his things then sets down paper and pulls a long black stemmed pen from it's velvet case. "Write. You want to apologize? Then write it. You will write until you figure out what makes you believe you can be a brat to me."

Percy's hands hover over the items on his desk top, thrown off by the command. Then he finds himself talking, hears his own voice before he registers he's responding. "I can assure you I am not being a brat, I'm just being honest that I have nothing to say to you."

His head is jerked back by his hair then, one hand grasping the back, the other grasping his jaw to force him to look directly at her. "And I can assure you Percival De Rolo, that if you don't close your mouth right now you're going to have a hard time sitting for the rest of this festival." 

Her voice was low and forceful, carrying the weight he only heard when she was holding him and praising him, or when he had pushed much to far and he knew it was his final warning. A shiver moves through him, and responds with a dull nod, head held mostly still.

He doesn't get a praise for his response like he normal would, and that bit at him when she lets his head go with another short command, "Write." 

He swallows tightly, having suddenly crashed down into the realization of how terribly he'd been acting. He wants to apologize for it, to try and fix it, tell her he knows he's been wrong. He's been told to write his apology though, but he doesn't know for how long. There was quite a lot of paper in front of him. Not wanting to appear like he's stalling he picks up his pen and dips it, careful of his jacket but not wanting to get up to take it off. He starts writing. 

It's a messy stream of thought, lots of apologizing and explaining his thoughts out, trying to make sense of his feelings in his fine, tight penmanship. He doesn't know what had happened, what had turned him against Vex like that. It was the first time he'd actually fought against her command, and now his gut churned, chest tight, nearly three pages in. He knew she was sat right at his side, in his blind spot, watching him. He continues to write, nearly to the fourth page when he realizes he'd written three line of just...i am sorry Vex, I am sorry Vex, I am sorry Vex. 

His grip on the pen tightens, his fingers cramping, as the pen leaves a large drop of black on the paper. "Percival I did not say to quite writing."

"Apologies," He mumbles and starts to write again, slower now, as he finishes another 'sorry' he'd gotten half way through, wracking his brain to find more to write about. Something to show Vex how terribly he felt.

"What are you sorry for?" Her voice is softer now, trying to comfort her clearly distressed submissive. He was tense, hunched over the papers. She really didn't like leaving him to stew like this, but he had to calm down and sort out his thoughts. 

"I'm sorry that I stopped writing."

"Is that it?"

"I'm sorry for how I spoke to you. I am sorry for walking away." His fingers press to the edge of the fourth page of his writing. 

"You were fighting me Percival. That is very unlike you, you're such a good boy."

"I didn't mean too, I didn't realize. I...can be good." He turns, looking back to Vex. 

She holds a hand up, "Stay." She watches him deflate a little as he stays in his seat. "I know you can be good Percival, you usually are such a good boy. But we need to understand why you acted out so badly."

"I don't know why," Percy says in a hushed voice, dropping his head, ashamed he hadn't managed to figure out what Vex wanted him too.

"Well, now that you've calmed down some I think we can talk nicely hmm?" Her voice was soft now, encouraging, guiding. The voice he was use to, and was clearly reserved for his best behavior. 

"Yes. I can talk nice." He sets his pen on it's rest and folds his hands in his lap, giving Vex his full attention. He falters, turning away, back to his desk. "You didn't say stop. I'm sorry, I'll write." He picks the pen back up, getting a few drops on the desk top.

"Percy." She gets up and stops him. "You can stop writing. We're just going to talk now." He nods and lets her take the pen and set it aside. "You wrote quite a lot. I'm proud." She strokes his hair back and combs her fingers through it. She can see Percy relax under the praise. He really didn't take much reprimanding to break. He was fragile in that way, but not in most. Rarely did he show a crack in most places. "That's my good boy."

She backs away to sit again, watching him turn back to her, leaned forward to rest his arms on his thighs. "I don't know what came over me. It was very sudden, I didn't realize it until I had calmed down."

"That's what I thought." Vex says softly. "You got worked up so quickly, tried to push me away. You don't get to do that." Percy doesn't respond, just pressing his fingertips into his knees. "Were you upset at how I treated you in front of strangers?"

"The square...No. I know I deserved that." He sighs.

"No. Before that, you were already upset before that. When we met Vax'es little friend, you left suddenly. Did something upset you there?"

Percy remembers the red eyes, he'd pushed them out of his mind, thinking he must have been paranoid to see what others hadn't. 

"Percy?" Vex had seen him tense up, scowling at the floor boards.

"I'm fine, that wasn't it."

"Percival do not lie to me, what upset you?"

"No. It was fine."

"You get back in that attitude again and you're getting whipped, I've had it do you understand me?"

"I'm not trying!" Percy raises his voice. He wasn't yelling at her, or angry, just exasperated he'd so quickly fallen back into his defensive state.

"I do not want to have punish you to make you talk, Percy." 

Percy lifts his head and stares at the ceiling, taking even breaths. "That man."

"Gilmore?"

"Yes. What did he look like...to you. Describe him."

"He was..colorful. Very pretty. Loud. He was alot really. But my brother has allways be into the flamboyant types. Why? Did Gilmore do something?"

"I'm not sure." 

"You're not telling me something. You know exactly what has upset you and you're hiding it. You tell me immediately Percival."

"I don't know what I saw."

"Tell me what you think you saw. My patience are growing short."

"His eyes changed, when he looked at me. It felt terribly strange...inside myself. Like he had seen right into me, and saw what ever it was he'd liked, and he thought it was hilarious. He laughed. He laughed at me."

"He laughed at you? Was he using magic on you Percy?" 

"I don't know. I really don't. Not any i'm familiar with. It didn't hurt. Didn't leave any affect. He just looked at me, and saw me, and knew...Something!" He presses his face into his hands, growling. "And he thought it was funny, what ever he saw." 

Percy is startled when he feels Vex slide into his lap, heavy and soft. He lifts his head from his hands, looking up at her very close face. It was gentle, and warm now, with a tender smile. The hardness has completely left her eyes and expression, leaving one of just love and caring. It soaked into Percy as she wraps her arms around his shoulders, resting a hand on the back of his head.

"Good boy. Such a good boy Percy. Thank you for telling me what upset you so much," She draws him in, resting his head against her shoulder. Percy slowly relaxes, closing his eyes against the royal blue of her cloak. She slides a hand under his arm and guides it to her waist. He follows her lead, wrapping both his arms around her, clinging tightly. "That's it. All is forgiven, you've done so well. My good boy." She strokes his hair and down his neck, pausing to give the sensitive area little squeezes and gently run her nails along the exposed side of his throat. 

"If he or anyone else ever makes you feel like that, you speak up. Not just to me, but to anyone. They have no right to treat you like that, and you make that very clear. You put them within an inch of their lives and farther if you have to Percival. You don't let people think little of you. You're so much, and deserve to have everyone look up to you."

"I do not believe you." 

"I know. Be that's why I'm here. To show you." 

They sit quietly, for a moment, not very long at all, when Vex gently raises his head. "I know something that might cheer you up my dear boy." 

"Hmmm?" He lets her go when she slides off his lap. 

"Follow." 

He does, standing and reaching for her. She takes his hand, keeping him close till they are in her room and she lets him go.

"Lock the door."

He obeys, noting his door hadn't even been locked a little bit ago. What was she planning?

"Now, you shouldn't be getting this for a few days, but I think your gift would be nice for the moment."

Percy's gut clenches, knowing he hadn't gotten Vex anything. He thought he'd have at least two more days. "Vex this is early?" 

"Hush. You need to be quite and listen."

"But I haven't gotten you-"

"Hush. Should I repeat myself again?" 

Percy sighs, looking down. "No." 

"Good boy. No sad faces my dear." Her hands cup the sides of his face, thumbs stroking his cheeks. "I want to give you this. You don't have to give me anything." 

"I-...may I speak." 

"Yes."

"I feel badly. I haven't found anything that suited you." 

"Oh Percy." Vex laughs softly. "Let me give you yours then if you still want to give me something later, that's fine." 

"Well...alright. I'm still sorry."

"Apology accepted." Vex rolls her eyes and pats his cheek. "Hands out." She commands and steps away, moving across her room.

Percy extends his arms half way, palms up infront of him. He's watching Vex as he waits. Seeing her open a drawer to her dresser and pull something out from the underside of the drawer. Small and wrapped in thick brown paper.

"Now." Vex slowly starts to unwrap it as she comes over. "You can turn this gift down. Never use it. Never accept it. You don't have to take this." 

Percy frowns, watching her face, eye's darting down ocassionally to see if he could tell what this gift was. But he's quiet. He's going to behave.

"Good boy." She gently rests her hands in his and releases his gift.

Percy was very confused at first. Very. Trying to figure out what this leather strap was. Starring at it in his unmoving hands. Then Vex slides her hands under his and guides him to turn the object, drawing the ends together, bright silver buckle touching the other end. 

"Oh dear. Oh..OH MY!" Percy sucks in a sharp breath. "I I am sorry for speaking. I just...ooh. Oh my."

"You're alright. I want to know how you feel?" 

"Oh. Well....confused. Um. Do you want me to..well."

"Wear it."

"It's a...hmm."

"Collar."

"Sure is. It certainly is." He nods, boots shifting against the bedroom rug.

"You don't like it." Vex slides her fingers under the leather circle and pulls it away. Percy's grip tightens for just a moment. Then he glances up at her and lets go.

"Sorry."

"No. Do you want to hold it?" 

"Uhh...yes. Yes I think I do."

"Alright." She pats his hands and lets go. Staying close but letting him control the moment and get familiar with the gift. This collar.

She has been so nervous and wrecked about whether or not she'd give this to him, that at the first sign he didn't like it she had tried to take it away. He is abit jumpy right now and she has to give him space and reassurances, push down her own anxieties, and let him figure things out on his own. 

He slowly starts to turn the collar in his hands, running his fingers over the designs in the leather. It wasn't very flashy. The leather was a warm brown, the edges raised. The center band is adorned with intricate knot work of a rich, smokey gray string. Or maybe they are small strips of fabric. Percy can't quite tell. But they are woven and spun and laying flat in a swirling pattern. The buckle is shiney nickel, the rivets smoothed down brass. He flips it over and runs his finger along the inside. The woven pattern on the outside was made by poking holes through the band to weave. To cover that all the inside is lined with a thick cotton linen, which Percy comes to the realization that this collar was never meant for an animal. It was too nice, and the lining was useless to something with fur. He swallows tightly, wondering where Vex had gone to get this.

Percy smooths his thumb over the lining, before wrapping it back into a circle, and holding it around the buckle and end. He looks up at her, over the tops of his glasses. "I dont..know." 

"If you want it?"

"What to do with it."

"You don't have to do anything."

"What /can/ I do?"

Vex holds her hands out and waits for him to willingly hand the collar over. "Well for now, you can try it on. Or not." 

He nods, agreeing, but silent. Vex holds his gaze quietly. He flushes when he realizes he has to speak out loud, to give consent. "Oh ah. Sorry. Ill...I'll try it on."

"Head down. I'll put it on you." 

Percy slowly lowers his head, trying to keep sight on Vex, till the woman pushes his head down and he can't see anything but her feet. 

"Head down." She says firmly before reaching down and sliding the collar around his throat. She slides it easily through the buckle, keeping two fingers under to make sure it wasn't too tight. When the buckle is fixed she adjusts it and gives it a small tug. All seems well. So she places a hand under her sub's chin and lifting his head. 

"Oh Percy." Vex'es thumbs rest on the hollows of his cheeks as she watches him. "Are you alright dear? Did that rattle you?" Percy's eyes were wide and dark, bright pink color covering his face. She gently rubs the roguish spots with her calloused finger tips.

"Yes I ...feel heavy. I -," he steps forward, leaning into her hands. 

"Come here. You're alright." Vex draws Percy in close to to support him. One of his hands grabs to the front of her leather armor. The other comes up and presses against the side of his neck.

"Do you want it off?" Vex lays her hand on his, gently rubbing the carefully lined leather against his neck.

"No no. Leave it. I'm sorry for reacting so badly." 

"This isn't a bad reaction. Is it?" 

"No I've just become very light headed when..you put it on." 

Vex pushes down firmer against his neck. Pressing the still stiff leather against his neck. Percy shudders slightly and leans against Vex. 

"Feels very nice. Thankyou." 

"For what? What are you thanking me for?" Vex tilts his head back up and strokes Percy's hair. "The collar? Or the touching?" 

"Both?"

"That was a question. I need an anwser." 

"Of course. Thankyou for both." 

"Not quite what I meant but it will do." Vax chuckles. 

Percy breaths out through his mouth before straightening up. Vex moves both hands up to his cheeks. "It looks so wonderful on you dear. Do you want to see?" 

She doesn't wait for his answer, turning him around to face the looking glass on her wall. Her fingers gently adjust the collar around his throat as he watches them, flipped around in the reflection. It moving against his throat creates little jolts of static over his skin, down his neck and through his body. He could feel the tingling in his finger tips and slowly curls and uncurls them.

When she was done playing with it, admiring how it looks from over his shoulder, she tucks the collar down into the hallow of his throat. Then her nimble finger fix his shirt and tie. 

"Oh dear. You can't hardly even see it." She smooths a finger over the crisp white collar of his shirt. "But wearing it is your choice." 

"I'm not so sure I have an anwser for you yet." 

"That's fine. Think about it. Take your time." She rests her chin on his shoulder, hand resting against his neck on the opposite side. "But you do like it?"

"Very much." 

Vex beams, and Percy can't help but smile, glad he could make her that happy with such a simple thing. Honesty.

"Wounderful. I can take it off you and we can go join the others." Her fingers dip into his clothing layers and wrap around the buckle.

"No wait." He pulls away, turning on the heel of his boot to face her.

She raises one eyebrow at him. "Well? I'm wating." 

"I am sorry for saying no." He apologizes quickly. "But I'd um..well I'd like to try it. For the night. If that's alright with you?"

"That's wounderful by me. Wear it when ever you would like. If you decide it's too much, then take it off and give it back to me. If you ever take it off you give it to me understand? If you want it back you will come ask."

"Why? I mean, simple enough to follow. But why?"

"It is my collar Percival. Marking what is mine." She reaches up, hooking her fingers into the small silver loop the hung from the front. "My property will be returned to me. Understood?" She gives a small tug to draw him closer.

Percy shifts forward, leaning down slightly into the hand on his collar. "Yes, I understand."

"Good boy. I knew you would. Such a brilliant boy, all mine, my bright, submissive boy ." Vex let's him go. "Are you ready to go then?"

"Drinks, yes. Everyone went to drink." 

"They sure did," Vex laughs, loving when Percy was relaxed enough to just get a tad spacey. He relies on her just a little more in these times, and she really enjoyed caring for him. "Are you ready or do you need to rest?" 

"The walk will help." Percy fixxes his clothes, making sure his collar is covered. 

Vex puts on her coat and scarf then puts Percy's scarf on him. "There. No one will see." She assures, and pats his chest. "Come along. I could use dinner." She holds her hand out, always waiting for Percy's permission for her to lead him. He takes her hand, a sign he was willing to follow. And he does, much calmer leaving the manor now then he had been entering. 

Holding his head higher, his shoulders back, with a strong pride. No one could see what he was showing off, what he was taking pride in, it was hidden under the wrapping of yellow and gray wool. But he was filled with pride that Vex had trusted him enough to give him something of hers to keep close when he couldn't have her with him. A gentle and steady reminder, of where he belonged. 


	11. Marks On His Skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTE - Sexual themes in this are marked at the beginning and end with *** "text" ***  
> This makes the work more accessible to readers, and should otherwise be ignored. Not reading the sexual content does not affect your understanding of the story, you know they have sex, you don't have to read it. That is it.  
> Thankyou!
> 
> ALSO HERE IS A FANART from the last chapter of Percy with his collar, from @ryanismyname on tumblr! Aside from the collar it is SFW.
> 
> http://ryanismynamee.tumblr.com/post/149394495668/i-drew-a-thing-in-celebration-of-percy-getting-a
> 
> -Summary-  
> Percy has been wonderfully behaved, with and without Vex around. He thinks, surely, He should be able to handle himself when is left alone. And when asked, he certainly has been taking fine care of himself!

"Dude just put the fucking thing back on."

Percy looks up from his small book, to Vax across the table. "Excuse me?"

"You keep clawing at your neck like that you're going to tear your own throat open. Go put it back on. Damn." 

Percy's hand tightens around his coffee mug and he realizes his other was at his neck, nails dug in to leave pink lines on the raw spots he'd already rubbed. "It's just dry skin. Winter does that to me."

"Don't give me your bullshit De Rolo. You're charming but you aren't getting it past me. I try to stay well out of what it is you and my sister do. But if you don't stop clawing at yourself I'm going to tell her."

"Don't."

"Then go bloody talk to her. Fuck." Vax rolls his eyes. Starting to get up.

Percy was in shock as to how Vax would know about his collar. He'd only worn it for 24 hours and mostly with a scarf on. Returning it to Vex the next night as he was nervous the party would notice. "What ah...may I ask, do you think you know?"

"Don't give me that Nobel man talk Percival. I saw you playing with it, I doubt I was the only one, you were spacey and clingy the whole night. And now you've been twitchy. More than usual and that's saying something." The half elf places his hands on the table top and leans forward. "Look. We've all got our vices, so get a handle on yours." Vax left then, not leaving room for discussion.

Percy presses his hand to his neck, over the tender spot he'd scratched. He hadn't worn the collar for days now, he had taken it off the night before the parade and the festival ended last night. He closes his book and holds it with that hand, finishing his coffee with the other. he wasn't sure where Vex was and certainly didn't know where the collar was. Either way. He had work to do.

\---

"Percy are you alright? Do you have a rash?" Percy feels tiny hands gently push his head aside and rub a tender palm over his neck. "What happened?"

"Nothing. It's nothing." Percy adjusts his shirts. He'd gone to wearing a sweater atop a collared dress shirt with his tie after what Vax had said yesterday.

"It looks sort of like a rash. But there are scratches. Does it itch?"

"Dry skin." Percy says shortly. He is sat on their sofa, having been enjoying some quiet tea with Pike and Keyleth while the girls chatted and he sketched.

"You've scratched it just now. You got charcoal on your neck." Pike pushes his sweater down and tugs down the charcoal smudged collar of his dress shirt. "Oh."

"What? Really I am fine. Maybe some cream and things will clear up." Percy leans away and he's somewhat surprised when she lets go.

He turns to look up at her, as she was standing on the sofa now. He raises an eyebrow at the strange look she gives him. "Keyleth, can you come here a second." Pike motions the druid over.

"Keyleth? Really?" Percy looks as the redhead stands up, groaning in his throat.

"Just hold still for just a moment. I want to see if she agrees with me."

"Agrees with what?" The pitch in his voice goes up with exasperation. "What do you think is wrong?"

Pike turns his head again and pulls down his shirts, ignoring his questions. "Look. Yeah, exactly." Percy couldn't see their expressions and quickly pulls away, getting to his feet.

"Yeeeaah. I'd say so." Keyleth nods and steps aside when Percy gets up to leave. "Where are you going?" 

"To find some peace and fresh air." Percy huffs matter of factly as he gathers his things.

"Percy I think-," Keyleth starts.

"No no. Let him go. It's his choice. We don't get to change that." Pike waves to Percy. "Take care dear. Bundle up the wind is bad."

"Of course." He calls after them and leaves with a quick stride of his patented calm and courteous retreat, grabbing his coat from the the back of a chair as he passes by. 

It doesn't take long to find a decently crowded little coffee bar. It was made in the styles of far eastern lands, and the coffee was dark and smooth. It felt wonderful to drink in the cold, with brown sugar and some toast. The atmosphere was noisy, and warm, with enough rumbling, hazy background noise for Percy to relax into a wall booth and continue with his work. He was smoothing out plans on his next big project. Now that he was with VoxMachina, he fought bigger things then thugs. He needed a bigger gun. He needed a better way to assist and protect his loved ones.

A tall drink topped with hot cream is sat next to his book.

"No thank you, I did not order - oh." He sits up straight, back pressing to his coat folded behind him.

Vex slides into the booth right next to him, pressing their thighs together and smiles at him. "Good to see you too dear."

"It's wonderful to see you." Percy smiles at her, folding his hands on the table top to give her his full attention. 

"What are you doing?" She stirs the cream down into her hot chocolate with a long tea spook.

"Oh just a little work on something for myself. Something a little bad." He spreads his fingers, and slides his palms over the edges of his sketch book, framing the sketch of stalk, and sight, with gibberish scratched in a short hand only Percy understood, all around the edges.

"Only a little bit?" Vex looks it over, not quite sure what was happening in the image, but impressed with the attention to detail. 

"Well. I'll make it as bad as I can, as good as I can." He gets a grin then, turning back to look at her.

"That's what I like to hear." Vex laughs, gently reaching out to fix the fringe of the boy's hair. It was growing fast, and was looking very nice. He looked younger when it grew out, it helped fight off the age the white color gave him.

"What brings you here?" Percy picks up and finishes his own drink.

"Well looking for you of course. Little birds have been tattling on you all week. I was sure, if you needed me, you'd come to me right? It isn't seeming so."

"I'm not sure what you're referring too." Percy picks his pencil back up and slowly outlines part of the intricate shape.

"Percival you must think so little of me to think you can lie so poorly to me." Vex scolds, getting a small reaction from him, his hand stilling on the paper. He wasn't fighting, he was relaxed. He just wasn't receptive.

"I am sorry, I do not mean to lie to you." 

"Look at me, Percival. Where are your manners?" She watches him set down his pencil and fold his hands again as he gives her his attention. "Why haven't you come to talk to me?"

"I haven't had anything to talk about." There is a small cringe when he hears himself, an echo of the earlier week.

Vex seems very unimpressed with his word choice as well. "Is that true?"

"It honestly is. I've been well really. Even sleeping decently enough."

"So there isn't any cause for any of your friends to be worried? For you to have needed to come talk to me?" Vex presses. She knows Percy is lying, and was trying to give him plenty of chances to be honest. 

"Nope. Not that I can think of. Not that I wouldn't love to spend some more time with you."

That was four in a row. More than he should need. "Wonderful! You will spend the evening in my room then. I will see you after dinner Percival and we will see if you've thought of any reason our friends have had to come to me this week worried about you." Vex gets up then.

Percy balks, feeling like he was in trouble again and not sure why. "Vex, ah, wait please." He reaches out and lays a hand on her arm. Doesn't grab. He's not allowed to lead her like she does him.

"Mmm? What is it? Have you thought of something?" She lays her other hand on his. 

"Well no. I just don't understand why you seem so cross." Percy frowns, brow knitting.

Vex leans down towards him, voice quiet. "You know quite well why I am cross, Percival. You've got another chance tonight to be good and come clean. We will talk more then."

\------

Percy does his best to draw out his meal. He eats slow. He gets more. He has a drink. He even manages to hold conversation with Scanlan for some time.

Then Vex got up and left. She doesn't say anything to him or touch him when she does, but he knows she is done waiting. He knows he has drawn this out as long as he could, but he continues talking a little while longer. He drags his feet in excusing himself, and heading up as well. The door to her room is cracked open, the bear is sleeping in the hall. Percy reaches up and rubs his face, drawing his hands down and raking his nails over his neck.

He catches himself like that, just freezing there with his nails against his throat. It hurt. It didn't feel good any more. His own hands couldn't replace Vex'es and now he'd managed to hurt himself. He fixes his shirt, making sure to close the top button, before heading to the door. He knocks softly and pushes it open.

"Vex'ahlia?"

"Come in. Close the door." Her tone is sharp, her words short and cut.

Percy wants to slam his head against the door. This was already a mess and he didn't understand why. When he swallows tightly, the material of his shirt rubs against his throat and he nips at the end of his tongue as the rough, sore feeling. He carefully closes the door behind himself, and follows it with his palms pressed against it. He wanted to move to her, get close, try to get her to be gentle and hold him. He'd afraid she will see his throat and know what's he'd done to himself, and plants his boots into the wooden floor.

Vex was sat at her armoire, brushing her hair out in the mirror. She was down to a blouse and tights, with knitted socks. She also had a knitted shawl on, with large pockets. Pike had taken up knitting recently. He had a very nice new sweater himself.

"You sure took your time tonight hmm?" That pulls Percy from his nervous thoughts.

"I was distracted," he answers lamely.

"Oh I am sorry." She pushes her brush into one of the large front pockets, then turns to face him. "I didn't realize a distraction let you disobey me?"

"They don't," Percy presses his fingertips against the back of the door as he stands there. Barely a foot in the room and she was already scolding him.

"So you choose to disobey?"

"No."

"Really? Because you had a command and you took your sweet time obeying."

"I came up...after dinner. That is what you asked."

She gives a sharp look that shuts him up then she shakes her head. "Before we go any further with tonight you need to go stand in the corner for that. You disobey and are completely unapologetic."

"The corner?" His chin drops abit, looking at her over the tops of his glasses like seeing her diffrent will make the command more sensible. 

"Yes. You're going to have a little time out, now go." She points to the corner nearest where she sat.

Percy slowly pulls himself away from the door and moves towards her direction. It's not like this concept was something he'd never heard of; he'd been a child once for sure. But the fact it was happening now baffled him. He want's to obey, to make her happy, but at the same time he has every urge to refuse and make his own demands. 

As he passes her she swats him. "You are dragging your feet terribly tonight Percival. Go!"

There is a small hiss, his shaking hands tense then roll into fists at his sides as he takes the few final quick steps to get there.

"Hands on your head. You can stay there for," she observes the small ticking wooden clock on her dresser. "Ten minutes."

"Ten minutes? Vex, really, this is entirely absurd."

"Fifteen. Turn around and silence before you lose your pants."

Percy makes a sound of frustration in his throat, huffing out through his nose, before huddling into his instructed corner. He continues to huff quietly to himself, sulking into the shadowy corner. Vex is being entirely unreasonable tonight. He hadn't done anything wrong. Hasn't broken any rules. Yes, he had been a little slow this evening, but he had admitted to it and she was over reacting!

Percy is stuck here with his own thoughts, glaring at the plaster walls. He can hardly move, still in his shoes, and his shoulders ache with his hands on his head. The whole stance is awkward and humiliating. Little comfort comes from knowing only Vex saw him.

He lays his head against cold, stone like white walls. Groaning softly and rolling his shoulders to try and release some tension in them. Then he tries to glance back to see the far clock, but can't at this angle.

"It's been five minutes. Would you like to spend the next ten over my lap instead?" Her voice is very calm, as if this was some kind of offer he should genuinely consider. 

"No," Percy answer's through his teeth, glaring into abit of white hair that's fallen into his eyes.

"Then face forward."

Percy grips his hair and slumps his side against one side of the wall. It had only been five minutes. He isn't sure he can continue to stand here for another ten. His own hand comes down and digs into the back of his own neck, trying to relax himself. It does hardly more than ache when he pinches the skin to sharply.

"Hands on your head. Final warning Percival. You do not want to behave tonight do you?"

"I am not trying to misbehave. I don't know what you want."

"I want you to stand silent. This your punishment for being bratty and trying to shirk my orders."

Percy growls his frustration. "Damn this, I'm not a brat."

"You do want to be spanked. Well come here then."

"I do not! I am trying to stand here but it is ridiculous." He can't stop himself. He's tense and jittery and can't stop his stupid words. "This isn't accomplishing anything I just feel foolish!"

"That wasn't a discussion Percival, come here. I'm not tolerating the back talk."

Percy drops his arms and turns to her, fists clenched at his sides. But he only stares back evenly, teetering on a fence of what he should do. Part of him, a very loud part, wants to keep arguing and refuse to give way till there was no more ground to stand on. The other part of himself already felt terrible and ashamed at his own behavior. 

"Come. Now." She drops her voice now, a hard and forceful command. She had tried to avoid being too forceful tonight but Percy clearly wanted to be forced, to be made to obey.

He does respond then, moving in front of her. "Shoes off."

Percy is a little worried now, realizing how far he's pushed. The loud and desperate part of him was quieter. They have not had a serious punishment sense the very first night. But he's never outright disobeyed or hurt himself like that first night. He toes off his shoes and pushes them aside with a foot, hands no longer balled up, just shaking occasionally at his sides.

"Kneel."

That throws him off, but he carefully obeys and gets to his knees. Her legs are parted and she scoots forward, draws him in closer between her knees. She pets his hair once, twice, then guides his head to rest against her knee. She pets his hair again and he sighs, closing his eyes. Once he is relaxed she pulls down the top of his shirt then. The same sweater and dress shirt as this morning.

Percy's head jerks up then and he pulls away, understanding where this was going. "Vex." He groans, a small pleading sound.

"You're already getting your spanking Percy. But I've been told you've been hurting yourself and I need to check."

"I have not!" He speaks indigent and defensive.

"Then it should be no problem if I check. Head down, Percival."

Percy swallows tightly and lowers his head before she repeats herself. She hates repeating herself.

Vex sets his head on her knee, fingers in his hair to hold him down. Her other hand tugs down his shirt and exposes his neck. She sighs, chest tightening as she gently runs her fingers over the raw, red blotches on his neck. She watches him shiver, eyes squeezing closed. He leans into the hand as much as she allows him with her grip in his hair.She can see he's still sensitive, but she can't give the skin too much attention and hurt the scratches any more. Then he pulls against her hold, nearly desperate for the touch and attention so she removes her hand on his neck completely. This explains alot. Percy needs her full attention for the night. Well he certainly has it.

"Percival how did you get these spots." She was giving him a chance to be honest tonight.

"I..I have been scratching."

Not quiet. Nearly. More coaxing. "Why? Why are you scratching yourself?"

"I mean. It itches. Winter."

She pulls his head back to make him look a her, getting a hiss in response. "Percy this is your last chance to be honest with me before your punishment. What have you done? I already know. This is only your chance to be honest with me for your own sake."

Percy squeezes his eyes shut till she let's go of his hair and her hand smooths it out. He's down on the floor, knowing he was in trouble, and still lying, but her hands were still soft and gentle with him. He felt a bit of sting at his eyes as the guilt starts to rise up now in place of the louder anger.

"It was me," his shoulders slump. "I've been scratching. Trying to-to calm myself. To get it to feel nice."

"Feel nice?"

"Yes. I tried. On my own."

"You know what you should have done hmm? You're smart. What should you have done?"

"Should have come and told you. Asked."

"Asked for what?" She keeps petting. To keep him relaxed. He was upset already and nervous for what was to come.

"Your-- attention."

"You wanted the collar back didn't you?"

"Yes. For a while."

"And instead of asking you scratched yourself up. What happens when you hurt yourself, Percival?"

"I am punished." Percy curls in more, slumping into himself.

"That's correct. And now you can't wear your collar because it will rub on these spot that need to heal. So instead of my collar marking you as my property I'm going to have to do it myself." She pats his back. "Come on. Stand up."

"I really do not want too." He shakes his head, eye's on the floor, bangs hiding his eyes.

"Percy. What is your safe word."

"Jenga."

"Would you like to use it?"

"No." There was no pause, just a hushed voice.

"I think you do want your punishment. You need it. Come on." Her hands leave his hair and slide under one arm, helping Percy to his feet.

Percy get's up to stand in front of her, wringing his hands. There was a horrible mix of feelings in his gut. Guilt, anxiety, apprehension. But then there was a jittery sort of excitement. The kind of excitement that's almost too much that it pushes you straight into anxiety. So excited you're scared. Fuck. What is wrong with him?

Vex isn't blind to the shake in his hands, and the brightness in his eyes. She doesn't say anything. "Put your hands on your head Percy." He obeys, lacing his fingers behind his head, looking down to watch her hands. She quickly unfasten the row of buttons on his pants and lets them fall. "Go wait by the bed dear."

He steps out of his pants and moves to stand by the bed, quiet and obedient now. He'd pushed as far as he had needed to get here, and he wasn't going to push any farther. He was right where he needed to be. Vex makes note of the shift in his mood, his lack of fighting. He was just calm now, not entirely nervous either. He had finally submitted.

Vex folds his pants and sets them on the dresser top before joining him. She didn't want to use her chair for this, and make him hold himself up. His hands were still on his head and she reaches up to draw them behind his back instead. "Good boy. See, I know you're good. This all could have been avoided couldn't it have?"

Percy nods, "Yes. It could have."

Vex pats his cheek before she sits down. "Percy dear, I know you like to keep your shirt, but you're gonna get awful hot in that sweater. You need to take it off." 

Percy fiddles with the bottom of this rusty orange sweater, before pulling it off over the top of his head and handing it to Vex. She folds it and sets it aside while he unbuttons his dress shirt. She takes that as well and sets them both to her side in a neat stack. Percy had very nice clothes and she wanted to keep them in good shape. He took good care of his own things after all. Just not himself.

Percy has a much harder time meeting her eyes when he is more exposed like this, and keeps his eyes on the bed spread or the ceiling, arms folding back behind his back like they had been placed.

"Glasses."

He hands them over silently.

"Come on then," She takes his arm and pulls him over onto the bed, one hand on his hip to keep the man from tumbling down. "Now, let me make this very clear," she hardens her voice as she adjusts Percy over her lap. "Exactly what has landed you in this situation."

"My behavior earlier, when you told me to be quiet." She pushes his arms off his back and he pulls them to his head. 

Vex gives a sudden sharp smack to his ass, causing Percy to gasp at the lack of warning. "No. That is not it, and I'm expecting you to be quiet now. Understood?"

Percy nods silently. He is propped up on his elbows, starring down at the bed quilt, clasping his hands together infront of himself.

"Good. Now, as I was saying, you are here because you hurt yourself, Percival. You were careless with your own body. Others told you to get help, and you refused. And you are also here because you tried to lie to me, you thought I was dumb enough to fall for your excuses. The rest of it, your little tantrum, your lack of obedience, is not what caused this. But it certainly didn't help your case."

Percy groans softly, keeping his complaints and his urge to try and defend himself inside. 

"Deep breath."

Percy appreciates that little warning, he really does. He takes his deep breath, holding it till the punishment starts and knocks it out of him. Soon his head was down against the covers, fingers digging into his hair, as he's muffing small groans and whines into the bed. His toes press and curl against the room rug. When he loses his shorts it's far worse and harder to keep quiet, but out of desperation for his own sake, he manages to make only soft or muffled noises. It does help that this was certainly not as bad as last time. Then again, last time he'd blow a few holes through himself. 

Vex shifts under him, reaching down into the pockets of her shawl. "We are almost done. Something new tonight dear, because you lied to me. That will not be tolerated, and we are going to deal with that very quickly."

Percy sniffs softly, and looks over his shoulder, squinting through his wet eyes to see what she was talking about. He saw it, and immediately shakes his head, tugging at the bed sheets. 

"Percy hold still," Vex holds his hips down tightly, setting her brush on his back to use her other hand to try and calm him. "You thought you could lie to me little one. I'm going to make it very clear that you certainly can not."

Percy groans, guilt twisting in his chest as he lays his head back down. He had lied right to her face. He hadn't had a second thought about it, and he knew he was wrong. He should have been honest with her.

The weight of the brush lifts off his back, and Percy breaths out slowly to keep himself still. 

/Crack/

Percy gasps and his head come up, air getting stuck in his chest.

There is a short pause before the second crack that forces the air out. The sound of the brush was louder then any he'd made tonight. Two fall fast, right atop eachother on the same tender spot.

"Bloody hells!" Percy croaks into the quilt.

"Think you'll lie to me again Percival?" 

"No no. Certainly not."

"Certainly not. That's what I like to hear."

It's a half dozen or so more before Vex sets the brush with his clothes. "We are all done dear." she speaks softly, palms coming up and rubbing slowly up and down his sides then down his back. "Lifts your hips." 

Percy groans as Vex fixes his shorts and ties them off. Her hands slowly rub his hips until Percy's head turn out of the quilt to look back at her. 

"There you are." Vex reaches over and pets his hair. "Would you like a drink?" 

"Yes."

"Okay. Off." She pats his hip and Percy pulls himself onto the bed, then up onto his knees, careful of how he sat. "Here." Vex picks up his orange sweater and helps him into it. She uses the corner of his shirt to dab around his eyes and cheeks, before sliding his glasses on him. "Better?"

"Much." Percy's voice it weak and rough, shoulders slumped down as he kneeled heavily in the center of the bed. 

She gets him some water and sits down beside him, drawing the man in close to coddle him. "We will get some cream on your neck. It should be better in a day or two if you don't touch. Then you can ask for the collar back." Vex wants that point clear. Percy still has to ask. 

"Yes 'M." He mumbles into his cup. 

Vex chuckles and kisses his hair line. "Silly boy. You're awful quiet."

Percy gives her a side look, sulking over his cup.

"You're gonna mope are you?"

Percy nods and sips again.

"Can I do anything to fix that?" 

"Can I get a real drink?" He looks into his empty water cup.

"Nope. But you're welcome to sleep here with me tonight." She runs her hand over the back of his neck. "I'd like you to stay sweetie. What do you say?"

"That...that sounds nice." He murmurs. He lets her take his cup and set it aside. 

"I've got some cream. Let me put some on your red skin." She slides off the bed, gathering the things from the bed. His shirt joins his pants in a neat pile, the brush set aside. Percy can't help but flush abit and flop down onto the pillows on his side. "Oh sit up. I was just gone a moment." Vex huffs as she returns with a jar. Begrudgingly he sits back up, and lets Vex rub a sweet smelling cream into his neck. 

"On your belly."

"Hmm?"

"Down." She points.

Percy shifts back down onto his belly, cursing when she tugs his shorts back down. "Vex please!" He starts to sit up. 

"Down." She pushes him back down. "I'm putting this on your ass Percival. Or would you rather I not?" 

"I'd rather a warning." Percy grumbles. 

"You're awfully mouthy for someone with a red ass." Vex runs the cold cream over his abused skin. "In this position I'd think you'd try and act your best. I'm sure a spank would hurt much more with the cream dear." 

Percy is quiet, focused on the feeling of her hands on his ass. It was not something he was at all familiar with. His skin was burning and sensitive, her hands cool against his skin and gently massage slow circles, causing little jolts of pain when she moves over bruised spots.

"Percy?"

"Stop. Stop please. I..ah stop."

Vex does, wiping her hands clean before putting the cream aside. "Tell me what it is dear." She says sitting by his head, stroking his hair. "Why did you want me to stop?"

"Vex I apologize, I am not decent enough a man to control myself when you treat me so well." 

"Hush." Vex snips, giving his ear a pinch. "Do not talk down about yourself like that Percy." She scolds. "You've had wonderful control Percy. You don't move around when I hold you down. You don't give your excitement any attention when you're in trouble."

"I-my..was I? Oh--Oooh dear." He squeezes his eyes shut, mortified at what she meant.

"A little bit, yes. That's completely normal dear, I'd be worried if you had no reaction. If you got no joy from my punishments." She scoots down the bed to lay with him, pressing slow, soft kisses to his cheek and jaw. She watches close, hands resting just barely on Percy's back and neck. If he pulls away, if he tenses up, she lets him go. She backs off. 

He turns to look at her, eyes nervous from behind his smudged glasses lenses. "It does not feel right. I haven't behaved." 

"And you were punished. And it's over. What does that mean dear?"

"I've been forgiven."

"Exactly."

"Have I?"

"Very much so. I think you've learned your lesson and gotten what you deserved. It's over now." Vex combs his messed hair over then tilts his head up. She leans in and presses her lips to his throat. It was slightly sweet from the cream she had rubbed in, but she trails kisses down to his collar bone and nips softly.

Percy moans, fingers gripping the bed sheets. "Oh Vex'ahlia." 

"Yes dear Percival?" She draws her nails down his neck, then trials her lips by the corner of his mouth. 

"What can I do?" 

Vex lights up, peppering him with kisses. "Good boy, my wonderful boy. Asking for your orders. Good boy." 

Percy groans and buries his face against her neck. "Please. Give me something to do."

"Shirt off." 

Percy sits up quickly, pulling off the sweater and tossing it aside. Vex has gotten off the bed and was down on the floor. He leans forward to watch her, seeing she has taken off her shirts as well and was down to her bra. He follows the long, round curves of his spine and hips till she sits back up. She sets a new bottle on the bed, dark green and of a size Percy certainly wasn't use to seeing. 

"Can you sit well dear? I think you need to sit."

"I can sit," He nods quickly, sitting back against the pillows. 

***

"Wounderful." She slides onto the bed, pushing her hair over her shoulder. There isn't any pause from her, she climbs right over him and settles down on his hips. Her hands explore his chest and sides for a moment, getting shivers and gasps from him when she pinches a nipple or drags her nails down his sides. "Percy you're so well behaved, keeping your hands to yourself." Vex grins. "I think a good spanking should keep you in line hmm?" 

"I'd really rather not." Percy groans, keeping his himself still.

"Really? I think you like it more then you let on dear. You looked awful excited before we started." She hands come down and unties his shorts. "I bet the brush left bruises. How does that sound?"

"A little bit nice." He admits, closing his eyes as she pushes his shorts down.

"Yeah? You like your marks don't you dear?" 

"Uuuhhmm." Percy's voice jumps up an octave, nearly shaking as he tries to just behave under her.

Vex finally takes pitty on him. "Here you can touch. But only here." She takes his hands and moves them slowly over his body, hips and over his waist, no higher, no lower. "If you behave, you'll get more next time."

"Next time," Percy croaks, trying to keep his hands soft and gentle against her pale skin as he worships it under his fingers. Next time entailed right now was happening, and he was honestly still a little lost. 

"Yes. Next time." She sits up, his hands staying where they were, offering support as she pulls off her tights. She watches Percy's eye darken. He licks his lips, eyes staying up, like he could keep her decent by not looking. It was adorable. She reaches behind herself to free her bra next and tosses it as well. Percy was biting his lip now, hands moving less, nervous he'd over step. 

Vex leans down, hair falling around them as she kisses him. Soft at first, just pressing dry lips together. Then another. Then Vex wraps her arms around Percy's neck, drawing them in close together, skin burning against one another. Percy holds her as close as she lets him, leaning up eagerly into her kisses. When she pulls away he's red faced and panting softly. She chuckles and draws her fingers through the hair on the back of his head. Then she settles down onto his lap more and draws him in, tilts her head back and presses his face to her throat, coaxing him there. 

Percy is thrilled when he is given more of her to explore, taking his time to worship the tender, hot skin under his lips. Never biting to hard, or leaving any marks. He didn't leave marks, that was her job. He was her's. Not the other way around. Too soon she's pulling him up into another kiss, much more aggressive this time, and he digs his fingers into her hips. Then she presses him flush against her, fingers knotted in his hair, the other on his hip. She rolls her hips against him, moaning into his neck.

Percy whimpers, nuzzling into her neck, pressing frantic kisses to her shoulder and throat. He was quickly becoming desperate beneath her. Then Vex sits back abit, flushed and looking at him through her lashes. "We will go slower next time, right dear?"

"Next time." Percy nods quickly. Next time. There was allways next time.

"The oil." She sits down, drawing her hair all back and behind her back. Percy grabs the olive oil, quickly handing it over. "What would you like to do while I get us ready dear? Make a request."

Percy swallows thickly against his stuck throat, trying to think. "May I touch more?" 

Vex pulls the cork out and thinks a moment. "Only up. No lower. Go ahead."

"Thankyou." Percy's hands return to her hips then, touching where he was familiar with for a moment, then his hands move up slowly. Over her ribs, thumbs coming out to trail over the soft roll of her belly. He continues up, palms just ghosting over her breasts. Below himself he can just barely see her hands working beneath herself, oil held between their crossed thighs.

A few drops of oil fall on his thigh as she shifts, groaning lowly. Percy reaches back, gathering her hair from her face and setting it aside. His hand lingers at her face, stroking one cheek. Vex turns into his hand, kissing his palm then nipping at his wrist. 

"Are you ready?" 

"What?" Percy wasn't quite processing the question when a slick hand runs up his other wise ignored cock. He gasps and jolts forward into the hand. 

"Sshh. Calm down Percy, you've got to behave and last understand?"

"Yes. Yes Vex. I do." It really was a whine now, as he agrees to her commands, but was still so desperate for anything she was going to give him.

"You're doing so well Percy." Vex wraps her hand around his erection, focused on spreading the oil evenly. Percy was focused on keeping control over himself. He tries shifting under her to try and alleviate some pressure in his belly, only resulted in stirring the ache in his ass. There was little he could do to distract himself at this point.

"Ready dear?" Vex leans up into his chest so they are eye to eye. "Hand's on my hips. They need to stay there for now. Okay?"

"Okay." Percy does slide his hands down her body before letting them rest where they needed to be. 

Vex was looking down between them, moving carefully. "You hold still. I am in control."

"You are in control Vex'ahlia." Percy is rewarded with a hard kiss as she is finally pushing down onto him. Slow, so very slow. But Percy kisses back hungrily, moaning against her lips. It takes some careful moves and time before she has settled back into his lap.

She lays her head on his shoulder, panting. He can't tell who's more wrecked at this point. It was impossible to tell really. They were both high on her control, on his submission. Craving so much what they gave to each other.

Then she starts to move and Percy think he must be the most lost now, because he's the noisy one. He's the one moaning and shaking, holding desperately to her, but never pushing or pulling. He took only what she gave, and was as gracious as he could be.

Neither of them last long like this. Vex has her hands braced on his chest, biting at his throat and jaw, moaning against his lips in hard kisses. Percy keeps his face buried against her shoulder or in her hair, trying to muffle his cries as her nails dig into his chest and the pain mixes in so well with everything else. 

Then he's pawing at her sides, trying not to scratch. "Vex..Vex please. Ahh! Vex I'm -I can't." 

"Deep breaths Percy, just abit more. You're doing so well." There was sweat on her back, and she was brightly flushed, eyes dark with just a slight ring of the ice blue. Him being so obedient to stay still went she was doing all the work.

Percy' fingers dig into her hips, pulling her just abit closer as he presses himself in close, burring his growls into her shoulder as he fights to control himself. Then she cries out, mouth behind his ear, and melt into whimpers as she trembles ontop of him, clutching him close to her chest. She breaths heavily, chest heaving, but she pushes her self up and sits back down onto his lap. She dips two fingers into the oil bottle before wrapping her hand around him and stroking. 

"Go ahead Percy. You've done so well," She whispers against his lips before putting more focus into her work of pleasure. It was, after all, Percy's turn.

Percy takes the kiss, then drops his head, pressing his lips to her neck, "Thankyou," He moans, voice shaking. Vex smiles into the white hair at the top of his head as Percy wraps himself around her. 

He doesn't last long he few good strokes and extra attention at the tip and Percy squeezes her slightly, shouting into her shoulder as he shakes. He slumps down, still clinging, when the pleasure subsides, but to his confusion her hand doesn't stop. Going at the same pace against his skin as the moment before. He paws at her sides, a soft whimper coming out at the slow rise of over sensitive sensation. He hears Vex laugh softly before stopping and resting both her hands on his thighs. 

***

Slowly, very closely, they both finally relax. Percy slumps back against the pillows. Vex sinks against his chest, hair spilling over her back and down onto the bed. Percy moves slowly, hands not quite listening, but he manages to gently push aside her hair to see her face. She bats her eyes, lids heavy, then smiles at him.

"Hello dear." She speaks softly.

"Hello." Percy smiles back. 

She slowly sits up, sliding carefully off him. Percy sits up and accepts a rag to clean himself, as she does the same. She gives him back his sweater and she puts on her loose peasants blouse. 

"I may still stay the night?" Percy asks as he sets his glasses aside.

"Yes, dear."

"Thankyou."

Vex blows out her lamp as Percy rolls onto his side. When Vex lays down and draws Percy close, he buries himself against her chest, exhausted. He couldn't imagine feeling rested enough ever again in his life. The slow ache in his ass was really just pleasant now, and he can feel the pulse of fresh bruises all over his body. 

Vex'es fingers start to move slowly through his hair, "Sleep little one. Stop thinking."

Percy gives a sleepy nod before obeying.


	12. A Moment of Quiet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In short moments of quiet, Percy can think very quickly. In long moments of quiet, he can think very little.

Percy closes the door behind himself, locking it with a small sliding bolt.

"Percy, what a surprise." Vex smirks.

Percy huffs at her, rubbing sleep from the corner of his eye before crossing the room. "Oh hush." He mumbles, hand dropping from behind his glasses then he stands beside her. She is sat at her vanity, sorting through some paperwork about their slowly rising keep. He clears his throat and lifts his head. "Pike said I've healed. It has only taken two days."

"Did she now?" Vex doesn't look up from her reading.

Percy scowls and shifts, wanting her attention. "Yes, I suppose it wasn't all you chalked it up to be."

"I can chalk it up to be more this very moment if you'd like to make a fuss about it?"

"No," Percy breaths, looking away with with his nose scrunching up. He was still sporting bruises, those would stick around much longer. "I wanted to-- talk."

"Percy, dearest, I am a tad bit busy." She looks up from her papers, meaning it entirely as a joke. Wanting to tease him. She sees him deflate for just a moment before tensing up, nodding curtly to excuse himself.

"Of course, I'll go-."

"Percy." She cuts him off as he turns to leave. "I didn't excuse you."

He pauses, nods, then stays in his spot. "You didn't."

"I just a need a minute to finish reading. Take your shoes off and kneel for me while I finish." Percy responds by shifting down to take his boots off. She watches him then gets up, returning a second later with a cushion from her bed. "Kneel on this dear. You haven't knelt long before, I don't want you hurting your knees."

Percy takes the offered cushion, fingertips brushing the back of her hands. He leans in a moment, pausing, then her hands come up as permission. So he presses soft kisses to the tender skin on the insides of both of her wrists, then he sets the cushion down and kneels on it. He shifts around for a moment to get comfortable, his feet crossing in, toes touching behind his back.

The first problem he experiences as he kneels is what to do with his eyes. He's down to low to see anything on the desk top. Looking at Vex mostly gives him her hair, and looking around made him move around on his cushion. He hasn't been told to kneel and wait like this before, only short times when he had things to do with his hands.

"Eyes down." Vex sighs as she watches Percy shift uncomfortably below her.

He drops his eyes, then his head follows, looking at the embroidery pattern on the pillow but not thinking much of it. He just tries to relax and submit but then he notices his own fingers creep into his own line of sight. He watches as they pick at a loose thread on the pillow on their own volition. One of the stitches pops loose and he swiftly pulls it, completely removing a daffodil from the pillows front.

"Percival! Keyleth made me that. Hands forward."

Percy cringes, dropping the pale yellow thread at the sharp voice. He glances up, then raises his hands in front of himself and keeps his head down. Vex shifts and smacks a ruler over one palm then the other. Percy hisses and draws his hands to his chest.

"Put your hands behind your back little one."

"Yes 'm." Percy mumbles and folds his arms behind himself.

Vex'es fingers slide into his hair and pull his head back to look at him. One thumb pad comes down and swipes under his eye to make sure he's alright. He's fine, just a little pouting. She gently guides his head back down and idly pets his hair as she finishes reading. Then she takes a couple of minutes to write a reply, seal it up, and ready it for delivery.

"Alright Percy, you have my full attention now dearest." Vex turns in her chair, leg crossed over the other knee. "What do you need dear?"

When Percy lifts his head back up after so long, he blinks blearily, like he'd dozed off like that. One hand sneaks up to rub an eye and fix his glasses before returning behind his back. "My neck is better. I haven't hurt myself any more."

"Oh? Let me see."

Percy lifts his head up and lets it roll to one side. Vex reaches down and gently slides her fingers over the skin, tilts his head and does the other side. She knows it is better, she had talked to Pike to give him a little heal when he had clearly not been touching for two days. "Looks much better Percival. Well done." she gently rubs her thumb pad against the pulse point in his throat.

"You said, that when I had healed, I was suppose to-."

"I never said you were suppose to do anything."

Percy scrunches his nose and twists his mouth. "You said I could," He glances at her, "Ask."

"Ask what dear. Come on. Be brave." She pats his cheek.

He looks aside with a small scowl at the playful tease. "I could ask for your collar back."

"I sure did say that." She sits back idly. Still waiting.

"Uugghaah." Percy drops his head and rolls his eyes.

"Hey now. You calm down little boy. You're doing very well, don't get yourself in any trouble with the attitude." Vex reaches down and pets the back of his neck, deciding the teasing wasn't doing him any good. He wasn't in any mood for it, too early in the morning. He always woke up grumpy. "Would you like to ask?"

"Yes, I would."

"Do you need help?"

"No. Just," He draws himself up best he could kneeled down like that. Vex folds her hands on her lap and quietly waits. "May I wear your collar Vex'ahlia?"

She can't help the small laugh she gives when he tries to act so serious about this. "Yes you may. Stay there." She gets up and returns to her dresser to fish it out from where it's wrapped back in the brown paper. She sits at her vanity top and busies herself for a moment. Percy can smell an acrid scent, and strong cedar. He leans up to try and see what it is she is doing.

"Head down, nosey."

Percy sighs and drops his head, chin pressing to his chest as he really curls in to return to his pout.

"I'm putting abit of oil on the leather so it's soft on you." She twists around and leans down, slipping it around the man's throat and drawing the buckle into the second from the last hole. She swipes her finger around the inside before sitting up. "Head up. How does that feel?"

Percy looks at her and rolls his head before giving a heavy sigh. "Very nice."

"Good. Do you plan to wear it out today?"

"Yes..is that alright?"

"Of course. Just be mindful dear." She takes her brush and starts trying to fix his hair. "You've grown it out and it's still a mess." She sighs.

"I told you it is pointless." He smiles under her attention.

Vex laughs and shakes her head. "We will tame it yet. Get you looking just dashing, dear." She turns back to her own mirror then to finish getting herself ready.

Percy stays as he is, arms folded behind him and resting as he relaxes. The room is swiftly growing brighter as the sun rises just outside the window and fills the space with pale winter sunlight.

"Are you ready to join the world?" Vex sighs as she finishes braiding her hair, and pinning it back. 

"Yes, I suppose so." He seems none too excited.

"Shoes dear."

"Yes." He gets up off the cushion then and grabs his boots, buckling them up his leg.

Vex fusses over the collar for a moment, tucking it into the layers of his clothes. She adjusts his tie to push the collar below it and tighten the silk around it. "There. Very handsome."

"My clothes or the collar?"

"Both, of course. I only own the finest things." Vex grins before moving to her door.

Percy rolls his eyes and follows after her, out and downstairs. The bear meets them in the hall, grunting and rumbling as it matches Vex'es smooth pace with it's own heavy, rolling gate. They arrive at breakfast like that. Vex first, followed by the bear who has to shuffle sideways down the stairs. Percy is behind the bear, walking slowly as he's stuck behind the large grizzly mass.

"There you are." Vax has one leg up on his chair, resting an elbow up on the knee. He always looks like he's about to spring. Percy believes he is.

"What? It's just morning brother, i'm up at a reasonable hour."

"I knew you were up, I was more worried how long you would take." Vax eyes Percy now before turning back to his sister. "We're suppose to see Gilmore today."

"Oh yes, I forgot, little date with your boyfriend."

"He isn't my boyfriend," Vax sighs as he sister sits beside him.

"You go on an awful lot of dates."

"We go out. Have drinks. Talk."

"I'm sorry dear, that's a date."

"I'd have to agree," Keyleth pipes up as she comes in with a tray of dishes full of food. Grog and Scanlan follow her with three more trays. "Sounds like a date to me."

"I'm sorry," Vax cuts in, "When was the last time you two were on a date?

"I've been on plenty of dates," Vex helps Scanlan set his tray up onto the table top and spread around plates to the whole table.

"She goes on dates wit' Percy." Grog sits down on the ground to be at the correct height with the table.

"We aren't dating Grog, darling." Vex admonishes. Food is starting to be passed around, and the silence after her words was just a moment to long.

Vax breaks it as soon as it's been too long to not be noticed. "Anyway. We've got to meet Gilmore after breakfast."

"Yes of course, we will all go have a nice date with your boyfriend."

Vax just glares in response as Vex was fixing herself toast.

Percy was focused on his coffee, staring into the dark liquid. He suddenly can't remember why he hasn't taken a drink yet, so he does. He sputters and cringes. He hadn't added sugar yet. He swallows the bitter liquid, sighs, and decides to leave the mug be and continue to drink it black.

He hates it.

\--

"You must communicate. Do you understand? If you get upset again you have to speak up." Vex rests a hand on Percy's arm as the man was buttoning his coat.

"You are awfully worried about me."

"You got terribly upset last time we saw Gilmore. Vax really doesn't think he's trying to do anything to hurt you."

"I know. I will be fine. He will have to do something awfully impressive this time around. I won't be off my guard."

"If he does anything, you say something to someone. Right? You don't let that flamboyant salesman make you uncomfortable." Vex rests her fingers under Percy's head to turn him to face her. His heads moves quicker than her hand, pulling away but coming to face her.

"Alright." He gives a small smile. "Don't be so worried yes? A sparkly sorcerer doesn't frighten me." Percy grabs his leather satchel, draws it over his far shoulder and strides out the door after the slowly escaping group.

Vex and Trinket are out a beat later, locking their rental, then joining the group. Percy seems most interested in conversation with Keyleth, so she leaves him be. She dosen't know what seems so off about him, and just chalks it up to nerves. He had his collar in broad daylight. They were going to see the man that had triggered him in some small way. She gives him his space.

Percy is horribly aware of the space between them. First Vex is quiet at the back with Trinket, but then she moves to the front with Pike and Grog, talking with them. He tells himself, they don't walk side by side at all times. They never had. But then again...they never had.

\--

Sherri is a smaller woman, Percy would have sworn there was halfling in her blood. She had messy but managed hair, and soft brown eyes. She was very much a quick footed businesswoman, and was the opposite of whatever Gilmore seemed to be. Percy hadn't talked to the man at all.

They had come in, Vax had gone around the counter with Vex and the others started shopping around with Sherri. Percy was more interested in the contents of the store then what those three were discussing. 

He finds something in a glass case, looking awfully familiar. A circlet, woven of silver wires. But there were now three pearls set into it that shimmer slightly.

"What does this do exactly?" Percy motions with one hand, the other folded behind his back.

"Hmm? Oh it helps with reaction time in battle. Not a speed boost exactly but allows a moment of faster reaction."

"And one just wears it? Would it allow someone to draw a bow quicker?"

"Yes exactly. One action is just a moment quicker then it would be other wise."

Percy nods. "I'd like to buy it. How much?"

"130."

"Here you are." Percy quickly slides the rolled gold coins into her hands. "I'd like it now please."

"Well, let me wrap it."

"No need." Percy pulls his scarf off. He pops the case open and quickly wraps up the circlet and slides it into his bag. Winter's crest was over but he still hadn't given Vex a gift.

Sherri huffs as Percy carefully closes the case. She goes behind the counter to sort the rolled coins.

When he looks back he sees everyone has basically gathered around the twins. He takes step behind Scanlan as they are the last to join the group.

Vex proudly explains their business deal with Gilmore. It seems fairly basic. Their name has a bit of sway, and as they travel they give some credit of power to this shop. Percy keeps his eyes firmly on who ever spoke. Except for Gilmore. When Gilmore spoke Percy looks at a friend, or around the shop, or fusses at his coat.

"Here. One for you Percival! It will look wonderful on this coat." Percy turns to look back at the speaker, thrown off when a large hand presses to his chest.

Percy takes one step back, slapping the arm away. "Do not touch me. Please."

Gilmore stops where he is, hand still extended towards Percy. Percy sees a patch there now, with a bright pink unicorn emblazoned on it. "Percival, I did not mean to startle you." His voice softens, not so loud now it's easy to hear the baritone. "Do relax."

A familiar hand slides around his arm, gently pulling his hand away from his gun. Keyleth looks worried he'd draw on the other human. When Percy glances down at her hand on his wrist he can see his fingertips pressed to the top of his holster snap. He starts to pull his hand away from his weapon when the others move in on them. He swallows again at a thickness in his throat. He wasn't sure why it was there or why he was so upset. But as the rest of the party gathers around him and the wizard, he can't help the tension that grows up his spine.

"I am not going to hurt you. Don't look so cornered." Gilmore uses the same soft voice, and Percy looks. He has to. It takes a beat of his heart before he sees the red. Again, it isn't fierce, it isn't aggressive. It's hot and deep and tries to swallow him. It makes him feel heavy and slow and like his vision was going out around the edges.

"That a' boy." Gilmore straightens up, holding the patch up, then takes another step closer. "Here. I'll just hand it to you."

"No manners. How rude."

"Excuse me?"

"You are in my head and I do not appreciate it. Manners. You must ask first." Percy lifts his head, wanting to make it clear Gilmore's magic hasn't had such a strong effect on him.

Gilmore's eyes move over him, still red. Then his hand closes around the patch and they return to gold. "Trust me Percival. I have not been in your head. I couldn't if I wanted too. But I do not need too." He smiles and sets his hands on his hips. "You are plenty easy to read on the outside."

"Shaun?" Vax reaches out, touching the man's arm. "Everything alright?"

"Yes. I've stepped on Percival's toes abit. That is my own fault." He hands the patch to Vax and smiles at the elf. "Give this to him later."

"Yeah, alright." Vax frowns, pocketing the patch. He follows Gilmore as the man nods to the back of the store. A motion of wanting some privacy. 

"Do you want to leave?" Keyleth was still holding his wrist.

"No. I am alright." He touches her hand with his other one and slides his wrist free.

Grog and Scanlan are stood together, muttering quietly. Pike and Vex are on the other side of where Gilmore and Vax had been. Vax and Gilmore are standing behind the counter talking. They are both people who talk with their hands and a lot of expression. Gilmore cuts off one of Vax'es tirades, pointing at the smaller elf with a hard expression. Vax goes quiet and scowls but stands quietly. Then the man walks around him and the counter and goes over to Vex.

Keyleth grabs his arm again. "How about we go outside?"

"I am alright." Percy repeats, his eyes are locked on the pair across from them.

"Percy, he's just talking about the deal with Vex." Then Gilmore makes motion towards Percy and then points at Vex. Percy immediately starts to move towards them.

"/No/." Vex says shortly. She doesn't look away from Gilmore, who falters.

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry, Gilmore. Old tongue, you know how it is." Vex laughs.

Percy had understood the short command in elvish. Just close enough to he herar. His jaw clenches and he turns back around to Keyleth.

"Yes, let's go out." He grumbles.

Keyleth rests a hand on his elbow, half following half guiding him from the shop. Outside in the cold Percy glances around, feelings the shake in his hands starting to return. His hands hadn't shook in some time. He needed to work. To make something from himself.

"I'm going to go look for a forge to use. I'll be back by the house later." He pats Keyleth's hand.

"Take care of yourself alright? You make me nervous sometimes Percy."

"Good. I should." Percy pulls away and heads down through the business district. He had a few more rolls of gold coins and his sketchbook in his bag. That's all he needed start work. Immediately.

It isn't terribly difficult for him to find a forger and little work shop for him to bury himself in. It gets hot enough in the room while he's hammering out metal, that he strips down to his undershirt and a heavy leather apron. Sweat slides down his neck and soaks into the collar, rubbing at his throat. It's itchy and burns slightly, but he ignores it.

The day escapes like that. He's pouring over a life size sketch on his table top. He's lined up a fake test barrel that he's messily formed as a rough draft. Now he's working on carving out the wooden stalk, small tools shaving curls of pale wood away. The forge has died recently after hours of sitting quiet. The cold is creeping into the small stone building, freezing the sweat on his skin. Clammy, Percy huddles under his coat again and goes back to work at hollowing out the correct shape for the trigger.

As he is sanding down the rich edges of the stalk, he slowly becomes aware of what little light he is working by. The sun has nearly escaped the horizon and barely any light comes into the forge. He listens around himself, hearing little. The other forges in the building have quieted. All work ceased but his. No one knew he was here.

He gets up from his desk and looks out the doorway, seeing the tall clock in the town square. It rings out, sending birds up into the sky. Nearly 7. Dinner would be soon. He has to eat twice a day, that was the rule. So he must eat again soon.

He spends some time cleaning up, making sure to take all notes and sketches with himself, then locks up his rented space. He has managed to stop the shake in his hands and work away what anxieties the morning had brought him. Not entirely though. They weren't gone, just pushed away towards the edges of his thoughts and beginning to slowly creep back in. The night air outside is almost too cold against the dampness of his body and clothes. The sweat soaked collar lining is the worst and he can feel the cotton lining and the leather of his collar stiffen up in the cold. It rubs uncomfortably against his throat and is unusually tight against his breathing. It almost helps with the mounting anxiety really.

There aren't many people in the streets around him, even animals have hidden away for the night. Percy wasn't to terribly uncomfortable in the cold. WhiteStone was much north of Emon, and the winter's cold was known to crack glass windows and leave frost on the stone walls of unused rooms of the castle.

Once home he gently pushes the front door open, and smiles to Keyleth and Scanlan in the front room. "Good evening."

"There ya are. We are about to head in for dinner." Scanlan eyes Percy's disheveled clothes and sweat stuck hair.

"I'll wash up and be right over." He comes over and pats Keyleth's hand. "Hope you had a good afternoon."

"I did. How are you?"

"Better." He smiles, honest. His head was cleared now. But his thoughts were not sorted. They were pushed aside in messy piles. He pulls away and heads upstairs to get ready for dinner.

Percy leaves his things in his room atop his desk, changing his clothes from his formal attire into the mauve sweater Pike had made him. His hair is brushed and his face is washed then he's down to dinner, because maybe he had not noticed while working, he never does, but he was terribly hungry.

\--

"Vax."

"Did you think you were sneaking up on me?" Vax was cleaning his armour and was sat cross legged infront of the fire.

"No of course not. Just because I'm not in boots doesn't mean I'm trying to be sneaky." Percy sits down beside the elf. "Can we talk?"

"Course. What's bothering you De Rolo?"

"Your sister."

Vax stops then and sighs. "Then I'm afraid you should go talk to her man. I can't answer many questions about her."

"I can't yet. I've got to figure out what it is I mean to ask. So I thought I could start with you."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm having some trouble with her and I need to figure out what it is."

"Percy. Percival. I'm gonna ask real nice but why the hell are you dressed like that? It's not like I care that much, it's just weird for you."

Percy tugs at the sweater some. "What do you mean?"

"Are you playing dumb or what is this?"

Percy fixes his sweater, finger brushing against the collar. He wasn't wearing anything to hide it so it sat open at the hallow of his throat. Just as it had at dinner. "To be honest it was a mistake. I didn't notice until we were half through our meal."

"What do you need me for?" Vax goes back to his armor, pushing the discussion along.

"What would you call the relationship between your sister and I?"

"Confusing," Vax says shortly.

"Be serious, Vax."

"I am. You two are as confusing as I'd expect something between people like you and her, to be. But she's leading every bit of it and I gotta pity you Percival. You keep chasing even when you thought you'd already won huh?"

Percy swallows. "She isn't a prize to be won."

"Of course not. If I ever heard someone say she was I'd end them right then. But the point is...you got to figure out where you stand. But I can't help."

"Of course." Percy gets back up. "Have a good night Vax'ildan."

"You're gonna go hide aren't you?"

"I don't hide. I'm easy to find if someone really needs me."

"You hid all day today. It's not like we didn't noticed you just disappeared." 

"You're little friend is very straining on me."

"About that-."

"I'd rather not."

"Damn well you wouldn't you anxiety ridden nerd. Sit down."

Percy pinches the bridge of his nose before sitting back down on the rug. "Yes?"

"Ah you do listen." Vax smirks.

The expression Percy gives Vax is a tad too dark for the moment. "Do not push my patients Vax'ildan." 

"Me? Of course not." When Percy says nothing else Vax leans back with his hands behind himself. "What do you hate so much about Gilmore?"

"I do not hate him."

"It sure seems that way, De Rolo. It really does. Everyone else likes him. Everyone else finds him entirely charming, and you act like he's about to jump you. Whats up?"

Percy sometimes hates how much the twins could be alike. The steady, hard expression Vax wears is one he'd seen on Vex many times. He partly wounders where in their life they had picked it up. "He unsettles me. Sometimes in life you meet people you simply don't like."

"Oh yeah, that I get. But you seem to be afraid of him."

"I am not." Percy scowls. "He looks at me funny and speaks down to me and It's frustrating."

"He doesn't talk down to you. If anything he kind of talks down to people in general."

"You don't understand Vax, it's like he's in my head." Vax'es expression shifts, so Percy continues. "He looks at me and I swear I see things that aren't there, they simply can't be. Then he's always laughing and talking to me like I am very small. I do not take kindly to those who try to make me feel small."

Vax sits back up, hands resting in his lap. The fire front lights him, showing the slight raven glint to the young elf's hair. "What do you see? That isn't there?"

"His-...Eyes."

"Damnit Shaun." Vax looks away and presses his face into his hands. "Gods dammit." 

"What? You know what I'm talking about don't you?" 

Vax'es face twists for a moment, like he was considering saying no in this moment. But clearly that wouldn't work either way. "Yes. It's a little trick of his. He's excitable is all. He won't do that again, I'm sure. He talked to Vex."

"What does Vex have to do with any of this?" Percy's presses his fingertips into the living room rug. 

"Well...you two, ya know. He saw that thing." He points at Percy's throat. "He asked me about it and talked to Vex and," Vax makes a vague motion in the air. "Its done."

"I feel it isn't," Percy drops his voice.

"Don't get dark and brooding on me Percival."

"Everyone wants to skirt around me in this topic that is centered around me? I will get how ever I so choose."

"Vex was going to talk to you." Vax snaps. "You ran away and hid. No one was suppose to say anything to you about it, but she felt terrible that you'd ran away after she yelled at you."

"She didn't yell at me," Percy shifts back, resting his hands on his calves now. 

"Call it what you want, she felt bad for upsetting you in front of others. But you were gone."

"She hasn't said anything." Percy looks to the stairs, like he might see her there now.

"Have you talked to her sense coming back?"

Percy slowly shakes his head. He'd been trying to figure out what to say to her, so he'd said nothing.

"Exactly. You're both being ridiculous and talking to me when you need to talk to each other. Do I look like some kind of therapist? Do I come to you with my emotional mess? No. Go fix your shit with my sister Percival. You're just hurting each other being dumb like this."

Vax ends the conversation by picking up his armor and leaving Percy on the rug. Percy stays cross legged on the floral pattern for a few minutes, finally getting up to fix the fire and add a few small logs. He sits on the sofa now, finding one of Keyleth's little romance novels that she shared with Pike. He had finished the one she'd given him some time ago, and picks this one up.


	13. Withdrawn

Vex finds Percy in the early morning, when pale, blueish rays of winter light are creeping in through the drapes. There are splashes of the pale, heatless sunlight falling on Percy where he is fast asleep on his back. His glasses are askew on his face, a book and his hands resting on his chest. She gently pulls his glasses and the book away, setting them both on the ground. Then she lifts his head and slides under it, holding his head and shoulders in her lap. Her fingers push into the shocks of white hair on his head, pulling it away from his face. She starts to work out a few tangles in the back, noting how his bangs could reach his nose now. But the sides have grown out too, turning his hair into more of a messy cotton ball of white fluff when he didn't have it neatly pushed back. 

Her fingers trail down and along his jaw, over the hollows of his cheek, gently catching at and rubbing against the coarse, washed out, stubble that has grown in. His facial hair wasn't as white as his other hair, nor were his eye brows. Those had both managed to hold  some of the color she knew his hair must have been before she has had the chance to know him. She tries to imagine him with the dark brown hair he swears to have. 

When she has stilled to just watch him, his nose scrunches abit then relaxes and Vex smiles down at his still face. "Go back to petting," He grunts, voice low and raspy from sleep.

"Dear it's about time to get up." But she obliges and pets his hair, lazily scraping her nails over his scalp. 

"Mmhhff." He folds his arms over his chest, tucking his fists tightly under his pits.

"Such a spoil sport when you wake up." Vex tugs at the line of his side part, trying to get his hair into something suitable for public. "You do need a haircut little one."

"Don't call me that out here," He finally cracks one eyes, scowling at her. "I am bigger than you."

"You're shorter." Vex smirks.

"I'm still bigger." He turns slightly, tucking his face against her belly and the soft brushed wool of her sweater. 

"Oh no no no. You aren't going back to sleep." Her fingers slide under the collar and tug. "Up. Come on."

"Why? We have no business today." 

"You certainly aren't sleeping on me. I need breakfast."

"Very well." Percy relents and sits up with a little help. He stays hunched forward, rubbing his dry eyes. 

"If you're aren't busy then we should have a day." Vex nods. They liked to spend days together, under each other's hands, and entirely each others focuses.

"I am busy." Percy leans down and picks up his glasses. He cuts off her train of thought of what they could do that day. Maybe she could have got him to wear the green corduroy vest, and they would have gone out for breakfast and got him some of that nice coffee that was served in small, long handled kettles and was dark with copper colored froth on top. 

"Really? What with?" Vex was surprised and actively tries to ignore the disappointment that has sprung up in her gut. 

"I started working on the new gun last night." 

"That's where you went," She murmurs. 

Percy's conversation with Vax comes creeping into his fore mind out of the haze of sleep. Vex had been looking for him, she had felt bad. They all had thought he had run off to hide. "Yes," He answers with a nod, " I rented a forge." He rests his elbows on his knees, head turned to face her in the growing light. Upstairs their friends can just be heard moving about. "It'll take some weeks and testing. But I think it will be good for us. The group I mean."

Vex agrees and looks down at the book he had been reading. "Well." She starts when it had been quiet long enough. "If you're working all day today like you did yesterday, I will need some time too. Soon." 

"When?" 

"Let's have tomorrow yes? Can we have tomorrow?" After yesterday she really wants to talk to him. She knows something is bothering him 

"Tomorrow is yours." Percy promises, he places Keyleth's book where he found it. "Stepping back on occasion helps the process." He smiles finally, not liking the worry in the small twist of Vex'es mouth.

"Thankyou." She reaches over and pulls a loose pillow feather  
from his hair. "The others have been getting some money in recently, so we were all going to go shopping today."

"Alright. I'll be just a few roads down from the shop from yesterday. It's called Cyan Forge. If you need me."

Vex slides her hand down the back of his neck and adjusts his collar. "Alright. You better be back for dinner."

"Of course. Also," He waits a beat, looking at here evenly, "I ran out of money yesterday."

Vex smirks slightly then. "Really?"

"Yes."

"That's neat." 

Percy scowls when he sees what she's doing. "Really?"

"It doesn't hurt you." 

"May I please have some money for materials?" He gives her an look that is just barely a glare, his eyes raised just above the tops of his glasses as he jaw comes to rest his palm.

"Of course dear, I won't say no. It's nice to hear you ask." She stands up. "It'll get some ready for you before you leave."

Percy gets up as well and stretches. "Tomorrow then." 

"You can come by tonight if you want." She holds her hands out, palms up. Percy gently sets his fingers in her hands and she holds them. "My door is always open." 

"Thankyou," Is all Percy has to say on the matter. When Pike and Keyleth are coming down stairs he pulls away from Vex and goes upstairs to clean up. 

By the time darkness settles in on the town again Percy has gotten a rough version of the firing mechanism down. It took a few tries as the amo was so much larger and he needed to design a gun that could withstand it's own strength. He test fires it a few times, cocking and firing it off quickly to make sure it didn't lock up. The barrel wasn't attached and the stalk wasn't sealed so he could see all the parts move with each draw and release.

He sets that down then moves to the forge and stokes it, having kept the embers alive today to keep the space warm. Then he sits down by the light and peels his new bandages away. He winces when one sticks and pulls off a fresh scab forming on the side of his wrist. There is now a number of other burns, a deep cut in his palm and many more little cuts and bruises up and down his arms. Working with casting molds and fine metal working tools had made their mark over the past two days.

He gently washes and dries the skin, wraps his hands with fresh bandages, then cleans up for the night. He knew he was running late but he'd just had a breakthrough. He has finally gotten the spring weight to hold the hammer correctly. 

With his clothes and gloves back on, his work locked into a safe, and his notes in his bag, Percy heads home. 

It is much later tonight then it had been when he'd left yesterday as there is no bit of sun on the horizon, only deep black and crisp pinpoints of distant light. Percy's mind was jumping between gun ideas, the pain of his fresh burns, and whether or not that rule about eating had time stamps on it?

No. Surely not. That wouldn't seem very fair?

"Hello? Is anyone home?" Percy is taking his glasses off as they fog up in the heat of the front sitting room. 

"In here Percy!" Pike calls and he follows her voice into their kitchen. She is cleaning up with Grog's help. "How was your day Percy?" 

"Good. Quite productive. You both?" 

"Oh we all went out shopping. Had some fun." Pike smiles at Grog. 

"I won us some gold by wrestling an owl bear!" Grog laughs.

"Yes. That didn't go quite so well."

"Vex got mad cause I punched it." 

"You punched an owl bear?" Percy moves towards the baker's nook, finding cornbread. 

"Yeah. I won! Knocked it out." 

"That's where everyone else went actually. They all decided to free it after dark and take it to the woods." 

"Mmmhm." Percy makes his best affirmative noise with a mouth full of corn bread. Because, yes, that sounded about right honestly.

Percy has moved to the dining table to eat as Grog and Pike moved to the sitting room to play cards. This is when the front door opens and triumphant exclamations are shouted at the ceiling beams. Percy smiles into his bowl and shakes his head.  He can hear them telling their tale like rescuing this bear was the most exciting thing any of them had done. It makes Percy laugh.

 Vax had snuck in and picked the chain without the OwlBear even waking.

Keyleth had spoke to it through a window to wake it quieter, and explained they were saving it.

Vex had taken it somewhere in the forest she knew others of the beast were and they were thought to be it's family. 

Scanlan had been there as well, surely being very helpful.

"There you are. I saw your bag." Vex comes into the room. "Did you hear?" 

"I did. Sounds like you had a good day?" 

"Oh Percival it was soooo beautiful." She sinks into the chair beside him. "I got feathers." She lays a handful of the  perfect and massive feathers on the table top.

Percy gently turns one over by the quill tip. "They are very nii- ah! What are you doing?" 

Vex had snatched up his hand, looking at the tight wrapped bandages. She glares at him then holds out her other hand expectantly. 

"I am fine Vex'ahlia. They are scrapes." 

"Percival." Her voice could cut him worse. 

He holds his other hand out. This time she takes ahold of his elbow to look at a nasty burn on the inside of his arm right below his rolled up sleeve. "You haven't treated these at all Percival Fredrickstien!" 

"I haven't been back long-." He trails off as she gets up and walks out. She isn't gone long, returning with Pike at her heel. 

"He was wearing gloves when he came in," Pike sounds like she's apologizing to Vex.

Vex doesn't say anything, she's stood directly behind him now, watching Pike expose his hands as she unwraps his bandages. Percy can imagine her expression though, can feel it on his back. He scowls at the stone floor between his and Pike's feet, so his frustration wasn't pointed at the small cleric. Pike lays her hands on his wrists, praying softly as gold light races up his arms and through his finger tips, his wounds fading quickly and settling into clean, pale skin. 

When Pike pulls her hands away Percy quickly speaks up. "Thankyou Pike. I was not trying to hide it from you. I hadn't thought about you healing little accidents from work."

"Well alright. But think about it next time yeah? Burns like that can get infected when you wrap them." 

"Of course." He straightens up and gets to his feet, taking his dishes to the kitchen to wash.

"Did I embarrass you?" 

"Abit. Yes. I don't feel like you're really all that concerned about it." 

"I don't know if I should be. How terribly does it bother you?" 

"My pride isn't that fragile." 

"I didn't drag you into the living room."

"Oh why thank you for not making a spectacle of my mistakes."

"Was yesterday to much?" 

"Yesterday nothing happened between us." 

"You left before I got a chance to talk to you." 

"You act like I knew you wanted to talk." 

"Don't play dumb, Percival."

"Alright. I didn't want to talk." Percy hunches his shoulders in over the sink.

"That went over well for you last time hmm?" 

"I am not lying and saying I have nothing to talk about. I'm saying I am not ready. Are you going to force me?" 

"No. If you're honest then no."

"Then we have nothing to talk about right now." Percy dries his bowl and puts it away. 

"Sure we do. Did you get any good work done today?" 

"Yes," Percy dries his hands off then turns to her fianlly. "I got some progress done."

"So we are still on for tomorrow then?" Vex asks, not wanting to push. If he needed more time to work, then so be it.

"No no, tomorrow should be fine." Percy nods slowly.

"Good, and how about tonight?"

"You want me to stay with you tonight?"

"I'd like that, yes, but you don't have to. I'd like to talk soon. I'd like to figure out what it is that's gotten you so upset." She watches Percy draw himself up, looking away in what seem to be an aborted roll of his eyes. "Percy." He levels his gaze to her.

"You already said you were not going to force me to talk about this." He frowns at her.

"And I wont. But we need to talk, so maybe we can get there nicely hmm?"

"I don't think so." 

"I don't think I like you in such a sour mood."

"I don't want to talk, because you are going to want to talk about the shop owner."

"Yes I do, because he was concerned about you," Vex nods, hands on her hips.

"Concerned about what?" Percy scoffs, unable to believe the strange man knew him at all well enough to be concerned. 

"About you. About you walking around with your collar like this." 

Percy's eyes widen, "That is what you two were talking about? Of all things?" His voice rises a little, not something that happens often.

"This is what I wanted to talk about." Vex moves towards him, so they can speak quietly. "He asked Vax why you were wearing the collar. Like I said, he was concerned." 

"Concerned? He shows concern by trying to get in my head?" 

"I highly doubt he was in your head Percy." Vex tries to keep her voice calm and reasonable against Percy's mounting anxiety. 

"His eyes were bloody red and they only were when he looked at me. He was trying to...to charm me. Or something. Bloodyhells." Percy presses the heels of his hands to his eyes. 

"He says sorry,"they both look up, seeing Vax has silently joined them. "Shaun. Gilmore. He says sorry for scaring you. He didn't know about you and my sister. He feels bad about it." 

"What are you going on about?" Percy snaps, not happy to have his issues spread around like this.

Vax scowls. "The eyes yeah? The red? Yeah I see it too, you ain't that special. He turns those on people-" Vax is looking for the right word, struggling," just...some people. He didn't know you two are this fucking mess. He apologizes." 

"He does it to you too? And you don't care?" Percy can hardly believe this, his hands are clenched at his sides.

"Yup.  It weirded me out so I asked him about it the first time, didn't freak out like some paranoid bastard."

"And I'm suppose to believe he saw us as equal opportunity?" Percy motions between them.

"No. Don't get ahead of yourself De Rolo. I am still special. He was only trying to be nice to you." Vax pats his chest.

"See Percy. He was just hitting on you dear." Vex nods.

"He wasn't hitting on Percival." Vax huffs. 

"I don't want him to!" Percy exclaims, then pinches the bridge of his nose, exhausted. "I am going upstairs."

As he passes Vax, Percy shares a small look with the other man. Percy understood what it was that he and Vax shared in Gimore's eyes. It just didn't need to be said aloud. Not now at least.

"Percival," Vex groans as she jogs up the steps after him.

 At the top of the steps he turns towards her on two steps down, then pushes the leather collar into her hands.

 "Good night, Vex'ahlia." 


	14. NOT A CHAPTER - WILL BE DELETED

Hello friends!

Updates will begin soon, hopefully within the next few days. But I need your help everyone. Please, send ideas. Send your ideas about the Characters, VM and NPCS and guest PCS, Give me ideas about Percy and Vex and good moments from the show that I should use in the fic and explore with this dynamic. Please. The more ideas and interaction I get from you guys the easier it is for me to write.

Thankyou, and I will update soon.   
Happy days friends

**Author's Note:**

> I will be doing my best to balance the story, with some sexual themes yes of course, but a strong over laying story line of this relationship having an over all positive effect for both Percy and Vex. Not Porn with plot, but plot with some added porn. Also, future parts will be much longer, I swear.
> 
> The main posting for this story is on Tumblr. http://criticalwriter.tumblr.com
> 
> You can go there or here to message me any ideas you have of situations Percy may have, or canonically has gotten himself into, as our dear gunslinger doesn’t always make the best choices for himself. If it is a real event, I’d appreciate at least an episode number or title, and possibly an approximate time, but I can go search if need be. Also tag me, on Tumblr, in posts you think could be useful to the idea of Sub!Percy.


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